Hoofin' It With Pirates
by Captain MeraSparrow
Summary: A modern yet irritatingly random girl travels through the dimensions to meet CJS. And just in time for him to get turned into a ... well you'll just have to read and see! Not the usual! noJOC, no MarySue!R&R,EpilogueUp! Closing!
1. Foreward to the Past

Oki, this is my first fic, so please be nice!– Note charrie's weird last name: protecting the innocent :feels proud:...Please pardon the first chapter–I always suck at beginnings...Enjoy, and please R&R!

Disclaimer: I own nothing :sticks tongue out at mouse: not even my own imagination. So I'm just gonna do the beaver dance and let you read. :starts dancing: Xd

**Chapter One: Forward to the Past**

An average Friday night? Maybe for someone other than Amy Xyphir. It may have started out average, with the routine horseback riding lesson, but from there things didn't go quite... according to plan.

Instead of going out to dinner, as usual, Amy and her mother went directly home. From there, everyone in the family left–all having eaten dinner at some earlier point. So they murmured goodbyes for the evening–her family would not be returning until long after she was asleep...or so they hoped: she didn't stick to that too often, though. "Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad, Lauren...when will you be back?" she asked, as always, so she'd know when to hurry to bed without getting caught up late. She was fifteen, but that didn't stop her parents from putting a damper on her late nights.

"Tennish," "Ten-thirtyish," they answered. Amy smiled inwardly to herself. Plenty of time. So yeah, they said their goodbyes and went on their way. No sooner had they pulled out of the driveway than she had the DVD player turned on and inserted her favorite DVD: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl ((obviously!)). And then she was off, mouthing all the lines from every character and even mimicking a few of the hand motions.

Two hours and roughly twenty-seven minutes later–allowing a few minutes after the Easter egg to put everything away and head upstairs–she had curled up in bed, random thoughts and stories passing in and out of her mind. It was a while before she fell asleep, but her overactive imagination had kept her well entertained all the while. And even in her dreams–of which there were many, tonight–the clang of swords and the crash of waves echoed in her ears. One dream in particular, the final dream, stood out from the others. She was standing in the crow's nest, observing through a spyglass a new island, one still left uncharted. Captain Sparrow was bringing them there for their shore leave–only the crew of the _Black Pearl_ knew of it and its location. It was beautiful through the glass, and she could only sigh in awe at its serenity. Hardly the place for pirates. And yet at the same time it was perfect, at least for now. With no towns or civilization, there was no place to barter, trade, or spend coinage of any kind. But it was at the crew's request that they came. The _Pearl's_ black sails billowed full, and the breeze was refreshing and sweet-scented, reminding her of its cornucopia of fruits, coconuts, and fragrant plants...and rum. Can't forget about the seven wonders of the world: Rum Caches one through seven, savvy. Amy closed the glass and made her way down to the deck. Before Jack even ordered the anchor dropped, she dove off the bulwarks toward the startlingly blue sea.

Amy gasped as warm water hit her with the solidity of a fully-loaded Coke truck, and opened the eyes she had not remembered closing. Instantly, she closed her mouth, trying not to inhale the water. Clawing her way toward the light of the sun, she broke through the surface and gasped for air, relieving her burning lungs. When she had calmed some, she blinked the water out of her eyes and looked around. Everything was blurry, and she realized her glasses had fallen off with the impact. Flailing her arms and legs about, Amy finally felt them hit one of her shins and fished them out. They were so wet, though, that they wouldn't be of much use to her. Clutching them in her fist, and treading water once again, she looked around--unlike some of her friends, she could see relatively well without her glasses. She noticed the sea around her, first, which is obvious. And next, she noticed a black hull nearby. Letting her eyes drift upward toward the blinding sunlight, she saw black sails and many filthy faces staring down at her in wonder. Knowing where she was excited her beyond excitement, but pirates were pirates, she reminded herself, and she began swimming away, off in the direction in which she remembered the island being. But before she knew it, she heard a splash as a boat was lowered into the water, and found herself being hauled into a dory and being rowed back to the ship. Amy did not look at the faces of the pirates, mostly so she wouldn't recognize any of them. If she did, she feared she might lure herself into a false sense of security. Instead, she stared at her waterlogged lap, noticing she was still in her night clothes: blue and green flannel pants and a black spandex/cotton tank top with light blue lining. Her light brown hair was hanging in her face, and she thanked herself for forgetting to remove the red scrunchie from her wrist before going to sleep. She pulled her hair back, and finally allowed herself a glance at her 'rescuers.' They were watching her with interest, understanding what she was doing with her hair, but not what with. _What, no elastic yet?_ Amy asked herself, laying her hands back in her lap and looking ahead toward their destination.

Still, though she liked the quiet, the silence there was awkward, oppressive. Trying to keep herself from growing red with impatience, she began to sing a much familiar song: _Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! We pillage, plunder, we rifle and loot, drink up, me 'earties, yo ho! We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, drink up, me 'hearties, yo ho!_

One of the sailors smiled, and another hummed the tune along with her. It wasn't long before they bumped lightly against the _Pearl's_ hull. A rope was thrown over her side, and one by one, the pirates began to ascend. Finally, when it came time for Amy to go as well, the last of the pirates moved to help her. Not letting herself trust him, she just shook her head and said, "No, I can manage on my own...thanks for the offer, though." And she climbed up as well, wondering what would become of her as her feet hit the deck. Off balance, she let herself collapse to a sitting position with a sigh, only now noticing how exhausted she felt. She closed her eyes momentarily, ready to return to her slumber right where she was. Moments later, she felt more than saw the shadow fall over her, and opened her brown eyes to meet a pair of kohl-rimmed eyes what were also brown and somewhat concerned. "Nice night for a swim, eh, Jack?" she murmured, resting her head against the bulwarks and drifting off.

Noting that the girl was obviously tired, the man let her sleep and did not try to rouse her. He straightened up from the crouch he had just been in and let his gaze drift over the rest of her. How strangely she was dressed! From the looks of things, at least in that era, she looked to be in her undergarments. "Gibbs," he called, "fetch her a towel." He would leave her there, at least for a little while, anyway. He did not know if she could be trusted yet, and wanted to keep herclose byuntil he had time away from the wheel–which wouldn't be very long: Rumsweet Island, as they called it, was only a few hours' sailing distance away. He wanted to keep this strange girl within his sights, and at her current position, he could watch her easily from his place at the helm. Gibbs returned with that towel, and the captain wrapped it around the girl's shoulders in an effort to cover her up some before returning to the wheel.

Afternoon became evening, and the _Pearl_ sailed smoothly into the shallows of her secret isle. Just as young Amy stirred, Jack ordered the anchor dropped. Yawning, the girl opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, then picked up the glasses she had in her lap. Cleaning them on her now-dry night-shirt and placing them safely on the bridge of her nose, she stared forward sightlessly, lost in her thoughts. Yawning once more and waking fully, a look of startled surprise crossed her face as she looked around before she remembered what happened. Jack watched her thoughtfully as the better part of his crew readied the boats and rowed toward their island, leaving the rest to keep watch in the unlikely event that someone found or attacked them. He turned away and watched the wavelets caress the island's shores. He desperately longed to disembark and return to his rum and paradise–and rum–but did not want to leave the girl alone nor bring her along until he got some answers out of her. He was suddenly aware of another presence nearby and looked to see the lass leaning over the bulwarks beside him, admiring the land as he was.

Amy wasn't able to get near the ocean like this very often–sometimes only once a year–but when she did get the chance, it always mesmerized her. In fact, she did some of her best thinking standing in the surf, staring out to the horizon, lost in thoughts and daydreams. "It's beautiful," she sighed half to herself. "But then again, it's just as I always imagined it would be." She carried an accent of one of the colonies, he was sure of it. How strangely she was dressed, he noted again before mentally averting his attention. Who was he to care, he reminded himself.He dressed quite strangely himself, after all.

"Alright, lass, I think there are a few things you'll need to share before we do anything," he finally said.

"Oki...what all ye need to know?"

"For starters, how's about yer name, love?"

"Amy..." was all she answered with. _Don't trust him!_ she reminded herself.

"...Latin for adorable, correct?" She glared at him, but that only widened his grin. "Well, then, would you mind explaining to me how...er, what exactly...why you were taking a swim this morning?" he finished lamely.

"Oh, no reason really. I've always wanted to fall out of my bed and into the Caribbean in the middle of the night!" she snapped, her tone sarcastic.

"But it's not–."

"Oki, maybe it isn't midnight _here_, but I assure you, before I took that dip, I was asleep in my bed in the twenty-first century in what is probably another dimension. Savvy?" Wait–wasn't that Jack's word?

He stared at her suspiciously. He focused on her eyes and drew what he could from them, and was surprised when she evenly met his gaze: a rare occurrence. Her eyes were deep and expressive, making it easy for him to look for any and all possible signs of childish play or untruth and found none, noting with slight alarm that there was a lack of distrust. Therefore, he resolved to trust her. "And how is it that you came to be here?–More to the point, you don't seem familiar. So how is it ye know me name?"

"Well, do you know Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann yet, or is this before that?" she asked. Noting his untrusting expression, she added, "It's pertinent to my explanation. You see, if I explain everything, it has to make sense, now, doesn't it?"

Comprehension flowed over his features. "Aye, I know 'em."

"Well..." and so she explained the movie and the events that occurred in it, which was how she knew him of course, and then the dream she had seemingly fallen out of. "Are you following any of this?"

"Good question..." Jack sighed. "One I'm not sure I know the answer to."

"Eh?" the girl tilted her head to one side. "Is it that you get most of it but a little doesn't make sense, or that you get some of it and some not, _or_ is it just that you get a little of it but not most of it?"Jack looked at her confusedly again before composing himself and deciding not to answer. "Get what you needed, or is there more?"

Jack thought a moment. "There's more: your age. How old be ye, and where from in terms of location?"

"I am my age and I'm from where I came from."

Jack nodded understandingly. "Aye. Now, let's try that again, shall we? Just a bit more specific this time if you please, love."

"Why? Why should I tell you?"

"For the same reason you answered all the others: I won't grant you free passage nor guarantee your safety if you don't."

Though her face remained calm, an alarmed look entered her eyes and she answered without another word. "Fifteen, and Philly."

"Philly? Philadelphia?" She nodded silently, still holding his gaze.

"Got enough yet, Capitaine?" He nodded. "Good...oh, that damn beaver song is stuck in my head again!" Amy groaned.

"Beaver song? There's a new one. Let's hear it."

"Wha? No, I'd rather not, or I'll never be rid of it."

"Come on, no one else left save for you and I to hear. Let's have it."

"I'll make you regret those words," she warned ominously before taking on a perky tone–Jack hated perky–and chanting, "Beaver one, beaver all, let's all do the beaver call!" and chirping–squeaking?–well, _some _kind of sound between verses and to the same beat... "Beaver two, beaver three, let's all climb the beaver tree!"–there was that chattering noise again–"Beaver four, beaver five, let's all do the beaver dive :chorus: Beaver six, beaver seven, let's all go to beaver heaven :chorus: Beaver eight, beaver nine, stop! It's beaver time! There, happy?"

"Remind me again why I asked to hear it."

"Coke truck. Would you like extra Rabies with that? Wait–sorry. That was meant to stay in my head." Jack raised an eyebrow. "Random Impulsive Disorder–a nonexistent condition I seem to show signs of having."

"A condition? A mental condition?" asked Jack, once again questioning her sanity.

"Yeah–one I happened to make up. No worries, it's not real. I just happen to say random things at random times, savvy? Now that we got that out of the way, what do you say? Will I at least be safe aboard your vessel, Captain?"

This was a very strange girl indeed, and it made Jack wonder what her world must be like, and again if this other world was real or if she was just insane. Yet for some reason, he felt responsible for her. "Aye," he agreed. "And free passage as well. Now, tomorrow we will go ashore." Amy yawned again. "Come on, now, I'll show you your quarters–" he stopped himself. He hadn't told his crew anything yet. Anyone still aboard could pose a threat, and him just now promising her safety! He shook his head. "Never mind, just follow me." He led her to his cabin and showed her in. He strode over to one of his chests and dug through it, finally pulling out a hammock. "Will this do?" he asked, not sure whether he was speaking to an urchin or a lady.

The lass shrugged. "I've never slept in a hammock before."

Jack grinned slightly. "Now would be the perfect chance, then, aye?" He set up the hammock directly across the cabin from his bunk–just so he could keep an eye one her. "Now get some sleep. I'll be back in just a bit." He headed for the door.

Amy nodded, her eyelids feeling heavy, and curled up in the hammock, and was soon fast asleep.

XxXxXxXxXxX

She awoke with a start as sunlight through the window hit her full in the face. There was Jack, asleep in his bunk, his back facing her. _Wow...having a sleep-over with a fictional character, _she thought to herself. She lay back in the hammock and relaxed into the slight pitch and roll as gentle waves caressed the _Black Pearl's_ hull. Moments later, she emerged from the cabin, moving silently so as not to wake Jack. Stepping into the brilliant sunlight, she took in the salty air she had always loved. She leaned over the bulwarks again and observed the island–observing was one of her stronger points. After a while, she heard boots on the timbers behind her and turned to see Jack approaching. "Good morning, Captain Sparrow. Sleep well?"

"Well enough. Are you ready to visit our island?" Amy nodded enthusiastically. "Well, before you can do that, we need to get you out of those clothes."


	2. Rumsweet Island

Wow! Three reviews already! You guys rock:feels warm and fuzzy inside: B.t.w, if there are some inside jokes you don't get, contact me for an explanation. And for **Jess is a pirate:** funf to you! In fact, funf to you all!

And I know this may seem a bit like a MarySue, but trust me, it's not. Once I think up an actual plot, those of you who are skeptical will see the truth in my words.

Disclaimer: I was going to join Disney, but they wouldn't let me in, so alas! I do not own CJS or anything about PotC;:sighs ruefully and scowls at mouse; :I also don't own any of the numerous catchphrases from random cartoons or songs which are quoted, so rum to them. ; :starts singing Willy Wonka Welcome Song: ; R&R and as always, enjoy!

**Chapter Two: Randomness, Todd, and Rumsweet Island**

"Are you ready to visit our island?" Jack asked. Amy nodded enthusiastically. "Well, before you can do that, we need to get you out of those clothes." A look of horror crossed her face, and he added hastily, "—And into some new ones—some...more appropriate."

"Appropriate?" the girl asked, calm, cool and collected immediately. "What's inappropriate about my clothes other than that they're nightwear?"

He looked at her quizzically. "Is that really how women dress where you come from? But exposing so much of themselves—especially at such the vulnerable time of unconsciousness!"

"Believe me, there are gals out there who dress worse during their waking hours what actually go out in public. Savvy? Now then, about these clothes..."

Jack gave up trying to figure things out and they returned to his cabin. He returned to that corner stacked with chests and pushed several aside until he uncovered an old, small box covered in dust and rime. He opened it with a great deal of care, seeing as how it looked like it was about to fall apart. Rummaging around inside, he managed to fish out a pair of trousers, an old belt, a shirt, and something long and silver. "Here. These belonged to the child of a friend of mine. They should fit." And he left for few minutes to let her dress, leaving the silver thing on a table nearby. "That was my sister's," he added over his shoulder as he departed, "so don't go losing it." 'It' was a brush. It had a polished silver handle and there were beautiful designs etched into the surface. Dressing and picking up the brush, Amy was back out on deck within moments. But Jack was nowhere to be seen. Standing by the bulwarks yet again, she removed the red scrunchie, replacing it on her wrist, and began running the brush through her hair, again observing the island's shore. Returning from the errand he had been running and lost in thought, Jack returned to his cabin, closing the door behind him. Snapping back to reality, he realized the girl—oh what was her name?—wasn't there. Suddenly, a strange noise reached his ears and he rushed out of the cabin to find its source. There stood the lass, holding the brush, looking off over the bulwarks, making a lot of short, cat-like noises. He came up, only now realizing how easily the sound carried through the air. "What is _that_?" he asked irritably.

"Catfrog," was her reply, and she continued.

"Well, would you be so kind as to stop, as it's grown quite annoying?"

"Sure!" and the sound changed, becoming the transition from the 'r' and 'e' sounds, though still catlike. Jack looked at her oddly. "What? It's a giant river otter."

"Doesn't sound like any otter I've ever heard."

She shrugged. "That's the way Jeff does it." ((namely Jeff Corwin, for those of you who don't watch Animal Planet!)) But she stopped making the sounds and instead jumped into the Willy Wonka Welcome Song. Those still aboard stopped in their tracks to stare openmouthed. Jack put a hand to his head and backed away, hoping to go unnoticed. But the girl was too smart for that trick—no sooner had he turned his back then she was standing there in front of him.

Jack paused mid-stride, and looked her straight in the eye. She returned his gaze once again, contradicting his beliefs that the first time had been a fluke. "My memory escapes me: what'd you say your name was?"

"Todd."

"Todd," he repeated.

"Todd? Who's Todd? I'm Amy." This was getting annoying, and Jack let it show. Seeing his scowl, Amy said quickly, "Oki, I'll stop—least, I'll _try_ to." Jack sighed and calmed himself, rolling his eyes again. "Well, Captain Sparrow, shall we go ashore?"

"We shall." They took one of the last dinghies and rowed to shore. As Jack rowed them, Amy reached up with her left hand to adjust her glasses, and Jack noticed a bracelet of sorts, made of a stretchy black material, on her arm. "I heart pirates?"

"Huh? Oh, that. It's nothing really...just pertaining to and expressing false infatuations with fictional characters and obsessions with a certain movie...whatever." She shrugged, at a loss for a decent explanation. She removed the armband and turned it inside out so as not to attract any more unwanted attention. As soon as they had pulled the boat ashore, she jumped out, marveling at how soft the warm sand was beneath her bare feet, and how brilliantly white it shone in the sunlight. "Oh wow," she breathed, and was silent for the rest of the day. With proper cautioning and several warnings, Jack let her wander off to explore, telling her where the main camp would be located.

She wandered as far away as she could, mostly out of curiosity ((good thing she's not a cat!)), finally stopping at the top of an outcropping to watch the sunset that evening. Using a sharp rock, she managed to whittle a hole through the shell of a coconut, and tasted its sweet milk and its sweet flesh fresh from the shell for the first time in her life. Making sure she left behind no evidence to show she had been there, and covering her tracks as she went—they _are _pirates after all—she curled up under a bush and slept for the night.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The day had gone by quickly, and before he knew it, Jack found himself watching the sun set, surprisingly sober. The girl still hadn't returned. Come morning, if she didn't show up, he would have to look for her. He knew this island like the back of his hand—if anyone could find her, it was him.

Night passed and morning arrived. Still no sign of Amy. But just as Jack was preparing to leave, there she was, coming toward the camp along the shore, walking in her own style, still somewhere between land-legs and sea-legs. "Morning, Captain," she greeted him. "Sleep well?"

"Worrying for an insane teenage girl the whole night? Hardly. Why didn't you come to camp last night?"

"You never said I had to come to camp: you only told me where it is."

Jack rolled his eyes, thinking _Great,_ _a clever one._ "Didn't know I had to be so specific."

"Well now you do. I'll trust you won't make such assumptions in the future." But they had both woken up in good moods, and when she smiled good-humoredly, he returned it. "How long are we staying for?"

"Nigh a week. I'll let you keep exploring, if you like, so long as you return to camp this evening. Most of the crew should be over their hangovers by then and you can meet them," Jack offered, insinuating that the crew had gotten drunk last night.

"And you without one? _That's_ interesting," she mused, turning around and walking back in the direction she had come from. "See you tonight, then," she shot over her shoulder. Continuing her exploration, Amy came across a large, clear freshwater pond. Shading one shore were a few willows, trees she'd never expected to find in the Caribbean. And, like everything else on the island, it was surrounded by coconut palms. She couldn't resist—the water seemed so inviting and the area itself was so serene. Taking several short swims throughout the day, and eating a few coconuts and fruits which Jack had mentioned were healthy to eat, she finally stretched out on the tiny inland beach and watched the sun sink below the horizon. She couldn't believe the day had passed so quickly, and, vowing to return the next day, regretfully left to find her way back to camp.

"Ah, here she is!" she heard a familiar voice exclaim upon her return, and saw Jack swaggering over to meet her. He had been drinking, she could tell, but not to the point of drunkenness...yet. Moments later, she found herself being introduced to many of the crew. Before she knew it, she was being asked all sorts of questions, some, concerning her arrival, which Jack took the liberty of answering for her. "We don't want them to be suspicious at all, so try to play the part if you catch my drift," he murmured hastily at one point.

But it was all in good fun, and, though Amy was a definite introvert, she found she was enjoying herself. And though she loved rum—always had, always would—she only allotted herself a couple or three sips that night. But through the night, she couldn't help but feel a bit homesick. Was time still moving back at home? Would she wake up from this as she would a dream? Had her parents come looking for her yesterday morning and found her gone? She hoped not for the latter—she wouldn't want any parent to have to go through the pain of losing a child, especially not hers. _This is getting ridiculous,_ she thought to herself, and got up. She waded out into the surf and stood there, letting her imagination take over, hoping it would drown out any unpleasant thoughts keeping her from her sleep. So lost in her thoughts was she that she didn't even hear the slight splash as someone else stepped into the sea. "Is everything alright, love?"

"Fine, Jack. Go back to sleep," great, now her homesickness was keeping Jack up, too.

"A penny for your thoughts?" he offered. Something was bothering this girl and he wanted to find out what.

"It's nothing, just a bit of homesickness."

"That's not nothing," Jack replied seriously. "Not something to bother worrying much about, but still not nothing...what can be done to ease your pain?"

_Pain_, she thought. _That's exactly what I must be putting my parents through if this really is happening._ "Can you get me back home?"

He sighed. "Seeing as how I've no idea how ye got here, I've no idea as to how to return ye. Savvy?" The girl hunched her shoulders slightly, hugging herself as she did so, shutting her eyes and trying to close out the world—she sometimes wondered if she had some sort of autism. Not knowing how to comfort her, being a pirate rogue and all, he put an arm around her shoulders and turned her to face him. He lifted her chin so she was looking at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, and spoke softly, "Don't let this bring you down. We'll simply just have to find a way."

"What way is there? It's impossible."

"Nothing's impossible, love. And I believe you're forgetting one very important thing—"

"You're Captain Jack Sparrow," she finished.

"Actually, I was going to say something like 'don't lose hope,' but your answer works a bit better," Jack replied, denying to himself that he was that predictable. Amy couldn't help but smile—Jack could be so full of himself sometimes. "Ah, there we go," he said, returning her white grin with a golden one. "Now, then, how's about you get some sleep?"

"No thanks—I'll be back in a while." Jack shrugged waded back, hoping this girl would be alright...and trying to remember who knew about journeys such as hers.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The full moon shone brightly, lighting her path as she went. She had waded almost silently for an hour or so before finally returning to shore. All she needed to do now was find her way back. But, after several minutes, she found herself once again at the freshwater pond. She leaned against a tree to think for a moment, when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. But when she turned to look, nothing was there. Strange, she thought. She could've sworn she'd seen a human face there a moment ago...But whatever, she just had to remember what direction the camp was in.

The next three mornings found her asleep at the edge of the group. Feeling the warm sun on her face, she dared to open her eyes and found a monkey sitting on her chest looking at her curiously. "Hi, there," Amy grunted, startling the creature so that it jumped off and scurried away. She sat up and looked out to the horizon as she now did often. The few puffy, white clouds were shades of purple, gold and orange. "_Squawk!_ Sailor's delight!" she heard Cotton's parrot say from beside her.

"Aye," she agreed, "another beautiful day indeed." She turned, nodding greeting to the mute sailor, and walked off to stare aimlessly out to sea, one of her new favorite pastimes. She suddenly caught sight of the _Pearl_, wondering why she hadn't noticed it there before, and getting lost in her beauty. She was a large ship—larger than most pirates would find favorable—but for this specific crew, she was perfect, ideal, home. Her black wood and dark figurehead were mesmerizing, but Amy tore her eyes away, remembering the pond. The stay here was nearly over, and she wanted to explore a bit more. She just wanted to visit the pond first.

When she arrived, the birds were singing more loudly, more beautifully than she remembered. That was the word: beautiful. The word she thought about everything she saw here. Cotton's parrot: beautiful. The _Pearl_: beautiful. The island: beautiful. And so on ((Jack included, btw)). But her stay was short, as she really did want to explore more, but after having stumbled upon and exploring a number of caverns to the west, she returned.

It was hot. Hotter than she could remember. She went to the pond's nearest shore and splashed some of the cool, refreshing water on her face, then deciding to jump right in. Or rather, half-jump, half-fall. Either way, it was a great way to spend her last day in paradise.

* * *

A.N. I know it was boring, but trust me, things will get better. I promise!

In other news, I have a bunch of projects to do for school and I'll be away next weekend, thus I will have less time to write. SORRY!


	3. Fruit of a Differ'nt Kind

ACK! Writers' block! ; :crap: ;

To **Authoressinhiding**: you know what I've noticed in all the fics where some kid get sent to Jack's era? Many of them completely ignore the fact that this person needs to come home until the last minute where they're like, oh it was just a dream. I was just trying to be realistic. And I was putting meself in me main charrie's shoes ((theoretically speaking)) and adressing this as one of the problems in the story. Thanks for that review, though, cuz you really made me think this over and fully comprehend what me overactive imagination had cooked up. Danke schon! ; :overactive imagination acts up: ; Whoa, Johnny just walked by. ; :drools: ; Anyhow, onward to the next chappie!

Disclaimer: I own nothing: it all belongs to the mouse or my completely independent imagination.

Onward! R&R please!...oh, and enjoy—that's an important detail!

**Fruit of a Differ'nt Kind**

Amy returned to her pond one last time before she would leave. Taking a final swim, she lay back, floating, and basked in the luxurious sunlight. "Hungry, love?"

She jumped into an upright position, nearly sinking beneath the surface in the process, and treaded water, looking wildly around for the source of the voice. "Who said that?"

"I did." The head of a young man popped up in front of her and repeated, "Well, are ye hungry? There are fruits yonder what give ye a most pleasurable feeling when consumed." At her startled expression he added, "No, unfortunately not that pleasurable. It just makes ye feel more wonderful than ever ye have before, I guarantee it."

"Eh? Where be it, then?"

"Yonder," the seemingly friendly young man replied, raising a sleeveless arm to gesture toward the center of the pond.

Amy looked to see a small mound of an islet poking through the surface. "How long has that been there?" she asked herself, noting that she hadn't noticed it any of the other times she had hung out here—and also reminding herself she was an observant person. On that tiny isle, there grew a single plant with large, scale-shaped, purplish-brownish-greenish leaves. From this plant there grew a number of fruits. Or nuts—she couldn't tell which. They were crescent-shaped, almost completely hidden under those hoof-shaped leaves, with a shell what looked a bit like that of a coconut ((go figure)). They reminded her a little of bananas, yet at the same time, with one round side and one flat side, they reminded her a bit of boats, too. Short canoes...something like that. "Are they safe to eat?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Your Captain-friend seems to know a lot in this subject. Perhaps he can shed some light on it for you, eh?"

Amy nodded. "Um, thank you?" The young man nodded and sunk below the surface again. She rolled her eyes annoyedly. After all, wasn't popping up in random locations _her_ thing? But curiosity got the best of her ((again, good thing she's no' a cat)) and she swam to the tiny spit. Of all the maroonish-brownish fruits, she guessed the maroon ones were the ripest and picked one. She swam back with it and returned to camp. "Hey Cap'n, I came across this fruit here, and I've no idea if it's safe to eat. What say you, eh?"

Jack looked up from cleaning his pistol, sober for the most part, and scrutinized the strange fruit. "I've heard of a fruit bearing a description such as this. The _Eohippus_ fruit. It was supposed to retain 'magical attributes' and such. But I have no idea whether those were sailors' tales or truth, and since no one has really ever eaten it, I've no way of knowing if its healthy to eat." A wry grin spread across his face. "There's only one way to find out." He took the fruit from her.

"But what if it's toxic?"

"Well if our noses turn green and our tongues swell up, we'll know. Aye?"

Amy nodded, still uncertain but willing to take the risk. One bite, she told herself. Just one—it couldn't do much harm. "Aye." Jack pulled out a knife and sawed the fruit-nut in half. Looking at its rind, the lass noted, "It looks like a hoof."

"Sure, let's go with that, eh." Jack handed her a half. "Well, dig in." They both took a tentative bite of the soft, juicy flesh. Strange: it tasted like salty marshmallows, onions, sassafras and alfalfa. And it actually tasted pretty good. But Amy kept to her vow and only ate the one bite. Jack, of course, had forgotten the possible threat and was greedily consuming the rest of his half.

"Here, have the rest of mine," she offered.

"You don't like it?"

"I do, but I'd much rather see you with a green nose than myself."

"Suit yourself," Jack replied, tossing the empty shell over his shoulder and reaching for her outstretched half.

"I will," came her reply.

XxXxXxX

Finally, evening came and the crew embarked the _Black Pearl_ to continue their journey. Of course, Jack warned them solemnly to treat their new passenger with respect, to not lay their hands on her in any unnecessary manner or they would face the wrath of their captain. Not that he was worried they'd try anything, but he wanted to be sure. She was, after all, in his charge. Of course, what to do with her he had no idea. _Mm, maybe we can put 'er off at Port Royal with Will and Elizabeth_, he thought. He showed her to a small cabin, assuring her she wouldn't be disturbed. It was well out of the crew's way. They all slept under the fo'c'sle anyhow, so again she would not be bothered. He gave her a tour of the ship, noting the important places such as the head, the galley, Gibbs' cabin, Cotton's cabin ((since he was the surgeon)), and his cabin, and even gave her a small tutorial on sailing. "I'm 'onna get you manning this ship if it's the last thing I do," he announced when she mentioned she was too lazy to be of any use.

"We'll see about that," she had replied, but reminded herself to do as he said out of safety for herself.

"Gibbs," Jack called, now, to the grizzled pirate currently at the wheel. "Chart a course for Port Royal. We'll put off our passenger with Mr. Turner and his fiancée for a spell."

"Aye, Cap'n," the old sailor replied, handing the wheel to Cotton while he went to the chart room to chart their course.

"But Mr. Sparrow," cried Amy, "I have to get back home!"

"I know, love. Don't fret. It's just that we're scheduled for a raid, and timing is the thing with these things, you understand, and Port Royal is on the way–."

"But what about my return?"

"I was getting to that. I will not see harm come to ye aboard my ship. Once we're done and through with this raid, I'll come back for ye, and we can figure things out from there. Besides, Will and Elizabeth are pretty good at thinking this sort of thing through, you remember, and perhaps...they can help us—you—out of this mess." His expression said he didn't care, but she knew better...well, she knew the character better, anyway...

She sighed and gave in. "Fine. But how far away is it?"

"About four days." Amy was surprised by his answer. After all, wasn't the Royal Navy after them? How was it they could make berth at an island so nearby and not be noticed, not have had their secret spoiled?

"And what of Norrington and his men? It'd be a heck of a risk just to bring me in, wouldn't it?"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Jack replied seriously. "As I have said, I will not see harm come to you aboard my ship as consequence to our completely necessary line of action."

"But—"

"No buts, young missy. The 'happy couple' will be glad to take you in for just a bit. They're good people. You understand that, don't you?" She nodded. "Good. After then, I'll return for ye as soon as I can." He nodded to Anamaria as she passed. "Now, then, in the event that we are attacked or boarded between now and when we reach Port Royal—unlikely—then you will need to know how to defend yourself, aye? So, do you know how to wield a blade?"

"Not a chance, eh."

"Then now's the opportune moment to learn." He shrugged off his coat, gingerly removed his hat, and picked up two discarded pieces of wood. He handed one to her. "School is now in session." They began with the basics, which the lass picked up quickly and easily. She was a quick learner and a clever thinker, as Jack was learning. But as they moved into more advanced methods, she found the footwork was harder than it seemed, and was off-balance. She was tiring quickly, her previously mentioned laziness having left her bereft of endurance, and decided to try something she'd seen in _Lord of the Rings_. With a quick flick of her wrist, she'd sent her adversary's plank flying. "Well done for your first," Jack praised, shaking her hand.

"Sure. Right. Uh-huh."

"I understand it feels a bit awkward, but you're better than you think. Honest."

"Since when were pirates honest?" she smiled. "Thanks very much."

"Of course, any _real_ adversary—as in, one who was actually trying—would probably be thrice as fast and thrice as strong," he always had to ruin the moment, "so be on your toes."

"That would take a good deal more coordination, of which I am already, sadly, lacking," she replied, deciding to take the literal meaning. "Dunno how you can do it in boots," Amy added, lifting one foot off to the side and stretching her toes like a cat.

"It all depends on how you learn...Think of it as an art form, if you will: everyone learns it differently, everyone has their own style."

He had taken the analogy right out of her mouth. "Stop reading my thoughts, _sir_, or ye'll really have something to worry about. Where I come from, men have learned to fear the wrath of an angry teenage girl!"

Jack looked at her oddly a moment before realizing she was kidding, and chuckled, holding his hands out in front of him in mock-defense. "Y'know, it surprises me that a girl who voices her thoughts as freely such as yourself would address me as 'sir' or 'mister' instead of by my Christian name."

"Are you insinuating you wish me to call you otherwise, then?"

"Aye. Out of respect for the both of us."

"Alright, then, Debbie." Jack groaned and walked off, making sure to gather up his belongings—especially his hat—as he went. But she approached him again later that evening just after dinner. "Captain. Freedom to choose from the titles I saw in your cabin?" ((A/N: For those of you who didn't get that, 'do I have the freedom to read any of the books I saw earlier in your cabin?'))

"You're literate?" Jack gasped, surprised.

"Well yeah. Why? That a problem?"

"No, of course not. I just didn't think a girl of your age—or most any girl at all—would know how to read."

"Oh yeah, I forgot: women don't hold much of a place in this world."

"Aye. Honestly an unfavorable truth. But to answer your question, aye, you may pick and choose from any of the books in me cabin—that is, so long as it _has_ a title."

"Ah. Why thank ye, Jack," she said, mimicking Barbossa. She saw a slight look of alarm enter his eyes as he connected the line with the memory. "So when may I come?"

"Now is fine. Come on, then." He led her back to his cabin, and left her to look through the surprisingly tall stack of books. The lass was surprised at how many of the titles there were, and of those how many were fiction. She finally chose an interesting-looking novel and brought it back with her to her cabin. She curled up in her hammock and read by the light of a securely-anchored candle. Finally, she noticed she could no longer see the moon through the small window of her cabin as she had when she'd first opened the book. She hadn't realized how late it had gotten. It surprised her that the book had been that good: she'd lost herself in it and completely lost track of general time. She marked the page she was on, blew out the candle, and went to sleep for the night.

XxXxXxX

The next morning began with another session in sword fighting. Jack handed the lass a cutlass, showing her how to hold it and maneuver it and such. They repeated much of what they had done the previous evening, method-wise, while she adjusted to the lighter weight and different shape. Of course this time she lost. Mostly due to her wariness of sharp objects and Jack's overabundance of pride. She had always been conservative in that sense, and had yet to emerge from that shell. But it would gradually ease away, as had her caution towards horses when she had first began taking riding lessons. In the words of , "Time eases all things."

"Alright, now on to something a bit more challenging."

"Like I wasn't being challenged enough?"

"Come on, now, love. The only way to succeed is to keep challenging yourself, to not let things such as techniques or methods get boring or be dwelled upon for too long. Savvy?" He was right. Curse him though she did, he was right. So they moved on. But after a while, Jack hastily ended their skirmish, dropping his cutlass as hers went flying, and leaning heavily on the bulwarks.

"Jack? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." The liar. He realized he'd been clutching his stomach and dropped his hand away casually.

"You sure? You look positively green!"

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update this! The internet connection at my house died, so we went for about a week without the it! Can you imagine? Not being on vacation, and having to live without the internet? Torture, absolute torture. :grins jokingly: So yeah, chapter four on the way!...CHINCHILLA! ; :runs away: ; 


	4. Horse of a Differ'nt Color

Hi, me again...you remember me, right? That crazy girl who stole your gym shorts last year and ran around with them on her head?...No? Good, cuz that wasn't me.

Oki, I'll quit bothering you now. As always: I own nothing. I'm going mouse-hunting, soon, though, so we'll see.

B.T.W., this chappie is dedicated to my nanny (grandmother) who's in hospice.

And onward! To the next chapter. R&R and as always, enjoy! ; :huggles random squirrel: ;

**Horse of a Differ'nt Color**

"I'm fine," Jack insisted. The sudden ache in his stomach was already ebbing away, after all. And the throbbing in his head had eased back into the average remains of a hangover. "But you, on the other hand, need a break. Look at you, ye can hardly breathe."

"Good point." She dropped the subject, but remained worried. They ended their session here, just a little shorter than usual—but these sessions were always short, after all, since her mentor had a ship to captain.

Butover the next two days, that worry swelled and grew. Though her mastery of swords was getting progressively better, which meant he was trying harder, his physical state seemed to get progressively worse. Finally the fourth day came, and Port Royal came into sight. As the _Black Pearl_ sailed toward a hidden cove, things went downhill. Jack had to physically shake himself out of some daze, and mentally 'woke' to hear the Willy Wonka Song, belted out by the insane teen. No worries of being heard, though—her voice was considered quiet most times, compared to his definition of loud, even now, and they were still about a league away from land. She was becoming annoying—_But she's only doing what's familiar to her...being thrown from one element to the next, and on to another just as she was beginning to adjust,_ he reasoned. True, she was already out of place on the _Pearl_, but think of how out of place she would be considered in Will and Elizabeth's society. It takes a lot to make that sort of adjustment, especially for an insecure teenager.

It seemed only moments later that they were at the outlet of the cove. Scouts were sent in the jolly boat to make sure it was safe. If it was, Jack would escort the young girl to Will's smithy and explain. But the boat had barely hit the water, him leaning over the bulwarks to scan the coast, the girl beside him, when his head began to throb. His heart began to pound, and his stomach did a few somersaults. He retched, and suddenly felt faint. The world around him was spinning, and he put an arm around the girl's shoulder for support. But it was no help. He swayed dangerously, still leaning over the bulwarks, and lost his footing, falling over the side and taking the girl with him.

Jack opened his eyes. His head still throbbed and his ears tingled. He could not feel his hands of feet fully, and he found himself in an odd position on his side. He felt weak, extremely weak, and eased himself on to all fours. It took the same amount of effort as standing up would have, had he only had a hangover to deal with. Something was wrong. He could tell that right as he took a wobbling 'step' forward: his body seemed to hold itself naturally on all fours...but he immediately dismissed it as effect from whatever illness he must be suffering. He hobbled into the surf and sighted the _Black Pearl_. They were lowering many boats, now, prolly to search for them...wait a minute, they were pulling the boats up, not lowering them...they had given up searching and getting ready to make way. They could not risk staying here too long—the Royal Navy sailed in these parts, after all! Jack called out, trying in vain to wave his arms and command their attention, but his voice was so hoarse he couldn't make sense of what he was saying. Something was very, very wrong.

XxXxXxXxX

Aboard the _Pearl_, a few sullen-faced sailors chanced one last sorrowful glance toward the shore as they cast off. Jack was nowhere to be found, but they had to leave. With the Navy so close, they could never stay in these waters very long. Upon gazing toward that coast, they pointed and marveled at a horse, rearing in the surf and pawing the air. They watched it in awe—it was the picture of freedom: a beautiful stallion, wild as thunder across the land, pawing the air as if to mark that the land was his. A good omen, some might say...

XxXxXxXxX

Jack didn't understand. They were looking at him, even pointing in some cases, but nothing was happening. His ship was not slowing. What could be going on? He looked at his reflection in the water, wondering if his fall had somehow altered his appearance. A sable horse gazed back at him, black skin prominent around his muzzle and eyes, a white blaze running down the center of his snout. A matted forelock fell in his eyes, beads still woven into braids and the like. He drew back with a startled snort, now realizing the truth. His crew weren't coming back for him. Suddenly, the Willy Wonka song began playing in his head, causing him to remember the girl. His ship would come back for him eventually. He knew.

Amy regained consciousness and immediately wished she hadn't, for at once she was consumed by a violent fit of coughing, her lungs forcing up the sea water. Once her lungs had emptied themselves as much as possible, she lay back down on the beach, taking deep breaths, weakened by the whole ordeal. The surf caressed her with gentle wavelets, and she was just about to close her eyes when she remembered Jack had fallen overboard, too. She eased herself into a standing position and limped up the coast, calling out his name once she found his effects, his hat, even tatters of his clothes. She heard a sound behind her and whirled around, managing to spook a friendly horse which had been following her. The two calmed, and she greeted the animal as she would a person. "Ach, hallo, Herr Pferd!" ((Ah, hello, Mr. Horse!)) It replied with a warm nicker, and she stepped back to admire it. A stallion, tall—close to seventeen hands, she wagered—and slightly lanky, reminding her somewhat of a foal. But it just made him look even handsomer, gave him an almost ageless look. He had ears longer than they should have been, but he wasn't a mule. A very attractive specimen indeed. He nudged her in the stomach with his snout, and she assumed he was friendly enough to pet. She started at his neck, since most horses like that, and worked her way back to his face, her hand resting on his whiskery, velvety muzzle. "Ich kann nicht meine Spätzle finden. Weisst du? Wo ist Spätzle, hmm?" ((I can't find my little sparrow. Do you know? Where is little sparrow, hmm?)) She had no idea why she was all of a sudden speaking in German. Damn, school was invading her brain even now. She dropped her hand away. The stallion nudged her again, this time nearly knocking her over. "Quit that. Sorry, boy, but I gotta go find someone." She set off, careful not to turn her back as she didn't know this creature very well. Walking almost sideways, she set off down the beach again, calling out Jack's name as she went. After another minute or so, she silenced herself. Jack was obviously not responding, and she was not helping by calling for him. For all she knew, she could be within earshot of Navy soldiers and giving away their positions—Jack could have already been captured, at that! "Great." She sat down and hugged her knees, her breaths coming shorter and shorter. She swallowed, trying to fight back tears as she had a panic attack. She took a deep breath, murmuring to herself, "You're oki, Amy, everything's fine. You're just a little lost. With no money. And no idea where you are. Fine, you'll just have to find your way into town and get any news on Jack's whereabouts. Mebbe find Will and ask him. Yeah, he'll prolly help you out." She swallowed, her guidance to herself not calming her in the least. The horse nickered behind her, blowing his sweet-smelling breath against the back of her neck. She jumped as he came next to her and eased down to his stomach, folding his legs neatly so they were nearly beneath him. She leaned against his side, taking comfort in his oddly-familiar presence and draping an arm over his back, trying to relax as they both stared out over the horizon.

_Come on, now, Ames, is this really any way to think? There's no need to panic just yet, aye?_

Amy looked up and around wildly—Jack had taken to calling her 'Ames' when he wasn't submitting to the transsexual nickname theme. "Jack?" The stallion turned his head to look at her with intense, brown eyes. "Hey, buddy," she crooned to the beast. "You know where Captain Jack is?"

_Ames, I know this is crazy but it's me._

The lass looked around once again. "I know it's you, Jack. But where are you?"

_Well yer kind of draped over me shoulders, if ye know what I mean. Listen to me—do I sound like your average, every-day person to you?_

She listened. True, she wasn't actually hearing spoken words: she was hearing horse sounds. Amy hastily shifted her weight off the horse and stared at it in surprise. Nah, it couldn't be. She ran her fingers absentmindedly through its matted mane, combing out tangles here and there. She came across strings of beads and other baubles, including coins, the remains of a red scarf knotted in, and even a piece of a bone, sticking out slightly from the other side of his mane. The horse shifted one of his forelegs, nudging her shin lightly with it. On closer examination, she saw a brand in the shape of a 'P', universally symbolizing piracy, and a number of black lines in the dark fur. She could barely make out the shape of a sparrow flying out over the horizon into a rising/setting sun. The stallion allowed her to examine his other foreleg, noting the myriad of scars along the back of his cannon. She let her hand explore, probing gently along his chest until she felt her fingers slip into a couple of large, unnatural indents. "Jack...what happened?"

Jack whinnied a response, which for some strange reason she understood. _Not sure...but whatever it is, I seem to be a member of the equine family, now._

"Lucky! I've always wanted to be a horse." Jack flicked an ear skeptically—horses used body language as much as or more than vocal---and she understood this to be a '_Why?'_ "Because they always seem to be having so much more fun. They're so much more 'with it'...I don't know—it's hard to explain." Jack heaved a sigh: what she said seemed true. No wonder he'd been so calm, so connected these past couple of hours. Then it dawned on the girl. "_Eohippus_, duh!" She clapped herself on the head. "Why didn't I make that connection? _Eohippus_ means 'Dawn Horse'. It was the earliest ancestor of the horse. You said that fruit had magical properties? That's why you're a horse. It was that fruit what did it...and since I ate some too, that might explain why I can understand and yes," she finished in tones indicating she was talking only to herself. "Dang, it was so obvious!" Jack rolled his eyes and snorted again, his ears quirking as a person would quirk their eyebrows. "Hey, Jack," Amy said in a soft voice, the voice she used when around horses, "what are we going to do? I haven't the faintest idea as to where Port Royal is in relation to us, and even so, what would we do once we get there? Even if we manage to find Will, he won't believe a word of it! 'Specially not from the likes of me," she added, looking down at her non-feminine garb.

Jack grunted and made murmuring sounds. _Would you believe I have a plan?_ His mouth quirked to one side, the equivalent of one of his lopsided grins. _Hop on_. She swung her leg over his short back and he scrambled up, cantering smoothly toward the destination he had in mind.

XxXxXxXxX

It was late morning, and the Caribbean sun was busy baking the land as it did every day. It made a woman glad her clothing shoppe was well-shaded. Business was slow, as expected; her shoppe was well out of way of the town. She looked up, startled, as a young lad strode in confidently, his chin lifted proudly. "'Ello, there," she greeted her customer, standing up to meet him.

He strode up to her and bowed with a flourish. There was a nicker from outside, and as if in response, the lad took her extended hand in his own and she felt the gentle caress of his lips. "Good day, Madam, and might I say you are looking lovely this fine morning."

She beamed. "Same to you, Monsieur. What can I help you with?"

"I was sent to find a new sarong for me sister," he drawled in some version of an English accent. His voice was already low, but had not yet fully matured. His dark hair was tied back, exposing a young jaw. He was barefoot, and his shirt was a bit baggy, but she was not one to turn away a customer. His left hand rested casually on the hilt of a cutlass positioned at his hip.

"Ah, well it just so happens that I finished one last night what I'm rather proud of. Would ye like t' see it, lad?" He nodded. She went over to one of the neat piles of clothing and pulled out a beautiful sarong, turquoise where it would come to rest on the hips and blending to blue at the bottom. "Will it suit yer sister, sir?"

"Hmm? Ah, yes, my sister. Aye, I think it will do very nicely. I'll take it." She grinned and rifled through a pile of papers to see what the cost would come to. But when she turned around to tell him, she found him gone, her sarong with him. She gathered her skirts and rushed out in hopes of catching him. But hehad disappearedwithout a trace. She had been robbed.

XxXxXxXxX

"That was awesome!" Amy exclaimed to Jack. She rolled up her pant-legs so they rested snugly above her knees and began to wrap the beautiful sarong about her waist. "Thanks for the advice...speaking of which—" she spat once and came up saying, "Remind me to never, _never_ do that again." Of course she was referring to the manner in which Jack had advised her to greet the shopkeeper.

Jack ducked his head. _Ye did a good job at it, though. Wouldn't it make sense to just have gone into town and acted like that in the first place rather than having to do this?_ Jack was a pirate, true enough, but he liked doing things the easy way, no extra hassle.

"Nuh-uh. Not-no-way, not-no-how. I'm not gonna seriously disguise myself as a guy. Especially for whatever length of time that would span and no. Just no."

_If you say so._

"I do—and don't you forget it." Shefixed the belt back around her waist, adding the effects, and carefully scrambled onto Jack's broad back—good for bareback riding, mind you. Jack took off at a steady pace, his rider cradling his hat for him.

They had just reached the outskirts of town when Jack neighed more advice. _Swing your left leg over to the right side—side-saddle like._ Before she could argue or ask, he added, _It's how women ride these days—and keep them knees covered. Apparently it's illegal to show 'em off round here, savvy?_

"Oh, right—people still consider legs private parts, don't they?...Yeah, I think I read about that somewhere...oh how foolish man can be, always assuming the actions and appearances of women lewd and unnecessary." Jack snorted his grudging assent. As they returned to the journey at hand, she mentioned something about never having ridden a horse for so long.

_You complaining?_

"Not a chance! It's actually kinda cool—'cept I'm definitely gonna be sore tomorrow!"

Afternoon became evening as they rode through the center of town. _I know it's somewhere near here...ah, there're the docks—I can retrace my steps from there._

"Huh?"

But Jack paid her no mind. He retraced his old steps, and soon they came to a relatively large building, a sign hanging above its large wooden doors animating a mallet striking metal. Jack sidled up beside these doors so his 'rider' could reach them without having to dismount. Amy raised her arm an knocked, each time sounding like a gun report in the silence as the sun slowly set. Within moments, there was a scraping noise as a wooden restraint was removed from its position blocking the door, which slowly creaked open...

* * *

Would that be considered a cliffie? Me no know... anyhow, hope you enjoyed!** Review please!**

Oh, and get this: I got a coconut from Genaurdi's. We're gonna open it today! Can't wait to try it! Yeah, it's really amusing to just shake it and hear the 'milk' sloshing around inside...cool!


	5. Convincing Will

Oki, here's the deal: the coconut was a **huge** disappointment, and my nanny died the Monday night after I posted my last chapter. And I feel like a horrible person, cuz I'm really not sad. Anyhow, I know its taken me a while to update, but I wasn't in the mood to work on this particular work—been too busy writing about this dream I had where Johnny Depp was a werewolf and I had to train him and...oh wait, I'm supposed to be talkin about my fanfic :;claps self in head;: duh! Anyhow, if you're interested about the whole werewolf thing just contact me. It was a real dream, so don't think less of me for that.

I know; I'm so mean for not updating sooner. According to my friend Liz, I'm bound to get shot anyways, so it might as well be from you guys! Lol, I'm just kidding! ...you guys know I'm kidding, right? ;:looks worried:; Anyhow, I just wasn't in the mood to write. So I dat down and got out a journal. I guess sometimes it just feels so much more fulfilling when you're writing it with a pencil, rather than typing it up on yer laptop, savvy?

**Disclaimer:** Truth be told, the mouse traps didn't work. ;.; So I continue to own nothing. Now, onward to Horsey-Debbie!

**Chapter Five: Convincing Will**

The heavy wooden door opened smoothly, quickly on well-oiled hinges to reveal a fairly fair and fairly young man, strands of light brown, shoulder-length hair coming loose from its tie as he's just been working. He took in the unfamiliar scene before him: a barefoot teenage girl in a light blue sarong riding sidesaddle and bareback on a fairly large mule, carrying familiar effects at her hip and cradling something out of sight in her arms/lap. "Can I, er, help you, miss?" he asked tentatively, seeing as how he had only recently acquired this smithy as his own and had never in all his years of experience had a female customer at his door.

"Aye, as a matter of fact, you can," she replied, carrying an achingly familiar -fake- accent he couldn't quite place. Her steed bobbed its head, tossing a matted forelock from its eyes. "Or, rather, we're hoping you can."

"We?" Will enquired, poking his head farther out the door to see whomever she was referring to. No one was there. He turned back to her, confused.

"Me 'n' Jack, of course!"

"Jack...?" He had his suspicions on who she meant. Putting two and two together, he finally placed where he'd last heard that accent. But 'Jack' was a very common name, so he couldn't be sure.

"Jack Sparrow—Captain Jack Sparrow!" she corrected herself irritatedly. "Surely you of all people should know who I'm talking about."

"I do. Where is he?"

The girl gestured toward her steed. "Right here. May we please come in?" Will replied with a confused stare. He didn't know whether she was playing a prank or if he should send her to a mental asylum.

"You expect me to believe that this..._mule_...is Jack Sparrow?"

The girl's steed pinned its ears and leashed out with its teeth. He barely dodged in time. It made a few irate sounds. "Why you little—how dare you insult the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow! You know as well as we mules can't mate! How can you insult a friend like that? Especially when he needs your help! That's _stallion_ to you, mister!" she wagged an equally irate finger at him. Suddenly, with a squeal of pain, her steed shifted awkwardly to one side.

_Hurts_...

She hopped down. "What does? Are you alright?" Will looked at her, his confusion growing by the second. Who was she talking to?

..._My hoof_...

She stooped down to examine one of the horse's front hooves. "It's cracked. You're one of _those_ breeds; you need shoes."

"I can make shoes," Will offered.

The girl and her horse met each other's gaze and there was a long silence. Finally, she sighed. "Fine, I guess it would benefit us both." Pause. "But we don't have any money to pay you with. Perhaps I can work it off?" Again, Will looked at her confusedly. Since when did teenage girls work off debts in a smithie? She looked at him with almost-pleading eyes. Heaving a sigh, he assented. "Cool...Erm, may we come in?"

Will raised an eyebrow. "Both of you?" he asked, surveying the large animal. He was just short enough to fit through the door without much trouble. He stepped back with a nod to make room. "Of course. Where have my manners been? I—."

"It's alright, Master Turner," the girl replied, her steed following them in. The horse made a few noises toward her. "I know, Captain, I know. Just gimme a chance, alright?" Yes. She was actually talking to this horse. And not in the fashion of a caring owner or closely-bonded companion. She waited for Will to close the door again. "Sir, I believe we have a problem to address. The shoes can stand to wait for a spell." The horse eased itself down onto its stomach, getting comfortable; this could take a while. "As you heard me say earlier, this is Captain Jack Sparrow."

Will looked from her face to the horse and back. "'S not possible."

"Not probable," she corrected him—and in a very Jack-like manner, he noticed. She rolled her eyes. "And this lack of belief from the man who fought with cursed, undead pirates."

"Well...how would it have happened?" He bit back the rest of the question: –if it has happened at all?

"He ate a Eohippus fruit, which, apparently, had magical properties. Next thing I know, he's greener than algae and taking us both over the side of the _Pearl_. I wake up, and there he is; a horse."

"And how do you know this is him?"

She shrugged. "He told me."

"He told you."

"Yes." Will gave her a hard, studying look, but all that ensued was a bewildered expression. "What? I had a bite—I was curious!"

"And that lets you understand what he says."

"Aye."

Silence. Awkward silence. "Might you have any proof?"

Another silence, which the horse broke with a subconscious nicker. "Aye. Jack, lemme see yer right foreleg, eh." The stallion, who had been dozing, twitched his ears and shifted his weight, sticking out the requested limb. She beckoned the young blacksmith closer to see. But all he could make out were a number of black squiggles, already hard to decipher from the dark fur. "It's his tattoo. And look lower; you can see the brand."

The tattoo, to Will, seemed nothing more than what he saw—which were random squiggles of darker fur. The brand he saw and acknowledged for what it was, but considered it merely an abusive prank by a bored someone with little enough heart to hurt such a handsome beast.

_Amy_, Jack whickered, seeing Will's doubtful expression, _he doesn't believe us._

"Other foreleg, Jack," she pressed, not willing to give up on Will just yet. She showed him the scars, and the old bullet wounds on his chest. She showed him the beads and coins and other baubles woven into his matted mane. Even noted the two golden hoops going through his left ear, though the chance of Will ever having actually seen Jack's ears was slim. "And his hat." Will glanced at the proffered hat. It was Jack's all right. And, if this horse wasn't Jack—of which he was growing more and more sure—something must've happened to him for his hat to be here without him. The two were inseparable. He reached out to take it, but was intercepted by an irate stallion. He snatched his hat out of Will's hands with an angry snort, dancing back to his girl, his steps seeming a bit unsteady, almost as if he were drunk, ((w00t equine swagger!)) bobbing his head and making the hat flop around. He looked quite the playful type, and Amy had to stifle a giggle at the sight of him. "Give it here, Jack; your teeth are bound to ruin it." She held out her hands to the horse, who, grudgingly and with drooping ears, placed it in her safe embrace. "Aw, poor baby," she teased, patting his neck. He snorted indignantly, throwing his head up. She laughed again. "Here." She placed the hat on his head so it was hanging lopsidedly from one ear. He pointed his nose upward, drawing back his upper lip and showing off still-golden teeth as he 'chuckled', a human reaction still instinctive within his depths.

Will watched with almost sad eyes. He wanted to believe her. Really he did. Everything she said or did suggested some amount of influence from his old friend—but, try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to truly believe, couldn't help but to be skeptical. "I hate to interrupt, but it's growing late and I'll be closing soon. If we're going to make shoes for your horse, we'd better work on them now."

That was it; he'd called Jack 'her horse.' Amy's jaw dropped. After all that, he still didn't believe them. She snapped her mouth shut and licked her lips. "Yes," she answered curtly, "I suppose we should."

XxXxXxXxX

Hours later, the girl, bereft of the sarong and in breeches once again, held the stallion steady, a tight hold on the halter which had been fitted around his head, as the blacksmith fitted the shoes. He reached out for a few nails, hammering them into the hoof with quick, accurate skill, shaped by years of experience. Jack shied at first at the strange sensation, but Amy kept him steady tightening her hold on the halter. "Easy, easy. Shhh," she murmured gently, in a calm, soothing voice. "Feels strange, don't it?" The horse nickered a response.

There was not a doubt in Will's mind that they could actually speak to and understand one another. But that it was Jack she was talking to he just couldn't believe. "Apologies, Miss," he said, finally breaking his own silence. "For...not believing you..."

"So are we."

"It's just...I..."

"It's fine. I understand. But we need your help. We have to get him changed back. We don't know how it happened or if it's permanent or what, or how we're going to undo it, and we have to get him changed back soon so we can figure out how I got here so I can get back home to my family and—a-and..." she broke off, realizing she'd gone off into a panicked babble.

"Get home?" Will's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. So much of what she showed suggested she had been in recent contact with Jack. He believed she knew him. He might've been the way she got to Port Royal. That made sense. But...what?—did Jack kidnap her? Was that how they'd met? _Back home...He wouldn't...would he? She's just a lass..._ The girl sighed and conversed with the stallion—whom she was, by the way, still restraining by the halter. With an even bigger sigh, she explained. Everything. "So..." Will mused when she was finished, "you're not from this...world, then?"

Amy nodded, finally dropping the faux accent. "Yeah. That's about the size of it." Will didn't respond. He was deep in thought, trying in vain to remember where he'd heard of something like this before. Then she straightened up from the table she'd been leaning against and stretched luxuriously, cat-like. "Y'know, I think I'll turn in for the night." She had after all been riding for the better part of the day.

"Er, well I still have a little work to do." The store might have been closed, but that didn't mean the work was done. "I don't really have a spare room made up, so..."

"No, I'm good." She found a place out of the way on the upper level of the smithy, turned in place once, and plopped down on to the floor. Out like a light (erm, lantern?) in twenty seconds.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Contrary to most beliefs, Caribbean midnights are freezing in relation to its days. And Amy, having grown accustomed to the warmth, now shivered in her slumber as Will was working on his last order of the night. He looked up at the sound of hoofbeats, magnified by new shoes, and saw the stallion plod over to her. He lifted her gently with his snout and lay down by her, so that she was leaning against him. She stirred slightly, but stopped shivering.

Of course, Amy knew none of this she was too busy dreaming. Her sleep had started out sound and peaceful, but then a strange picture came to her that made her want to laugh. For some reason, she was remembering a line from an old movie about how iron is magnetic. Then her mind had reminded her that horseshoes were iron. She saw Jack walking along when his front left hoof hit some magnet poking out of the ground. Powerful magnet, that one. But, see, he didn't know he was stuck. He kept walking until he was yanked back by his securely anchored foot. He tugged. And tugged again. Then he twisted around and snorted annoyedly at the magnetic plate. He put another hoof against it to try and pull his first hoof off. All in vain; now both his front hooves were stuck. Back hoof reaches forward to try and free the front hooves. Now three hooves are stuck. With a powerful yank on the part of those three legs, the magnet is lifted free from the ground. Jack totters forward again, one foot, then three, as lopsided as a one-footed badger. In her dream, she heard herself laugh, felt herself fall to the ground and grasp her aching sides. A small, unconscious smile stretched across her face as she slept.

* * *

Oki,I know it's been a while, but pleezpleez don't kill me. Yes, I know one can get shot and live. Just remember this mate: He's **_Captain _**Jack Sparrow. Oh, and Biology is annoying. See you next chapter! 

Now then, I would be much obliged if you would press that blue/grey button down there labeled 'Go' and send a review. They're very encouraging, savvy?


	6. A Midnight Visitor

Well sorry I take so long, but I've come down with a serious case of writers' block. So don't expect me to update very often. Anyhow, yesh:

RespectTheSporks: Weehoo, new reader! You know, I can't wait either. Wonder how he's gonna do it...;:shifty eyes:;

CrazyforWill: Weehoo (again), new reader (again)! Yeah, I should've made him fall...oh well, he falls down enough as it is...or he will, anyway...;:more shifty eyes:;

Authoressinhiding: Hi there, again! Long time no see. Erm, well, maybe this'll be some sort of hint to toward the solution...to be quite honest, I'm not entirely sure how this is gonna go down. O well, I'll get it eventually. I almost always do!

Jess Is A Pirate: FUNF! dotdotdot You know I'm still holding your chinchilla hostage, right?

**Disclaimer:** All hail the mouse.

Oh, and my sincerest apologies if any of this sounds, like, sappy or OOC, 'cause I was listening to the Narnia soundtrack when I was writing the last half of this. And again, sorry if it's a bit out there...Oki, now that all that's over with, here be the long-awaited chapter! w000000!

* * *

Chapter Six: A Midnight Visitor

"Now, see? You just hold the blade like this and strike it, like so." A loud clang rang out through the smithy as Will struck the hot, glowing metal. Amy jumped. She'd expected it to be loud, but not _this_ loud. She blinked and wiggled her ears. "Shapes the metal, flattens it. What ever you need to do with it, it's all by the mallet," Will continued. But he was only giving her a brief tutorial, as he didn't quite trust her to make swords for the Commodore and soldiers. That would have been irresponsible. But, mind you, she was pulling her weight. For instance, while he worked to complete his orders, she cleaned up the smithy and looked after his mule, even prepared lunch, and so on. Wouldn't consider that pulling her weight, eh? Well, with someone else to take care of those minor chores, Will Turner had more time to work. The worth of however many extra orders he was able to finish thanks to her help around the smithy would add up in her 'account' until her debt was paid.

That afternoon, they found themselves with some rare free time, and Amy drew Jack's cutlass from the scabbard at her hip and admired how the sunlight played off it. "You know, I could use a bit more practice." She pointed the blade toward him. "If I may." He drew his sword in answer. "Ah, then let's see whatcha got!" She lunged at him, which he parried easily. She struck again, just the speed of which forced him back against a wall. She struck again, and he took advantage of her lack of experience to force her blade sideways and dart out. She pursued, and they parried yet again, their movements dancelike. They had moved, by now, to the open space by the wooden ramp and the upper level of the shoppe, where Will and Jack had had their first encounter. "So," she said conversationally, easily blocking one of his blows, "Ye got a girl, right?" Jack's accent had returned to her lips, as if she were mocking them both.

"Yes."

"And are ye still practicing three hours a day, mate?"

Will parried another of her blows. "Yes, when I can."

"Hmm." Will raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you _are _a eunuch after all." Jack whinnied, this time more of a low sound, seeming almost as if he were laughing—which he was. Will pursed his lips and struck a bit more powerfully than he had intended. Ames took advantage of this and, instead of parrying, darted out of the way, causing him to stumble forward without a blade to support his blow. She made a move for his now-exposed back, but three hours a day actually can come in handy; he was able to block her effort without fully turning around and while severely off-balance. They were back out in the open area once again. Ames took a wary step to her left, Will doing the same so that they countered each other's movements. "So we circle," came Jack's accent again, only this time without the humor. "Like dogs...we circle." She struck out, and they parried once again.

Minutes ticked by, marked only by the clang of steel against steel. They had found their way onto the upper level of the smith-shoppe, and once again they circled. A bold move on the girl's part had them 'snagged' by the blades, straining against each other—if one slipped, the other had a good chance to be the victor. She knew Will was going easy on her—he was obviously stronger than she was, after all. In a sense, he was toying with her as she was, and had been taught to, with him, the only _real _difference being the amount of experience each had harnessed. Yes, Jack had taught her to sort of toy with her adversary, test their limits and see what they could and could not do before targeting their weakness or weaknesses and coming in, so to speak, for the kill. It was for this reason that Will had beaten Jack in their first sword fight; he'd figured out what Jack had been doing and had caught him off-guard. That's all. With a twist of her wrist, their swords suddenly released their holds on one another. So sudden was this move, or so it seemed, that Will's sword was yanked free of his grip. With a clumsy lunge, Ames managed to catch it before straightening and swiftly pointing its tip at his throat. Will smiled slightly. "Well done—"

"No, Will, I really don't think it was," she said with disappointment. "As I said, I need to practice. So tell me: how am I supposed to get better when my opponent goes easy on me, or above all, let's me win?" Will's smile faded; she'd seen right through him. "Now," she flipped his sword, offering it hilt-first to him, "let's try that again." And they both rocked into ready positions.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Evening had fallen, and Amy and Will were just finishing their dinner. Ames wrinkled her nose at her cooking as she swallowed the last forkful. "Oki, next project: teach me to cook." Will murmured agreement, and she shot him a playfully hurt look before looking up to see Jack staring out an open window, ears pricked and quivering, at the moon. She crept up beside him and admired it as he was.

_Brings back a lot of old memories,_ he murmured with a sideward glance at her. _Some good, some not so favorable. It seems the moon has, in a sense, become a part of me._ He made a curious noise. _You've no idea how strange I feel saying that._ He paused for a thoughtful moment. _On second thought, it could just be that I'm an equine and have not yet adjusted to this particular manner of speaking..._

The lass laid a hand on his neck. "No need for excuses, Captain... This must be hard for you, Jack."

Jack sighed, letting the air rush out through his nose with a quiet _whoosh._ _Aye, I must admit it's a predicament I had never imagined myself in medias res. And to be quite honest, all this uncertainty is making me a bit..._ he cleared his throat—or at least, that's what she took the sound he made to be—embarrassed, somewhat, at admitting he wasn't exactly comfortable with his current situation. _But we'll find a way around it. I always do: after all, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?_

Amy chuckled gently. "Aye, Captain," she agreed softly. "You always seem to be able to find your way. Just remember—" she imitated one of his classic gestures—holding up her two index fingers—and quoted from a certain trailer, "—'You won't be able to talk your way out of this one.'" Jack flicked his ears uneasily. The teenager noticed and her eyes widened in excitement. "You mean the whole blooddebttoDaveyJonesandthekrakenandthecannibalsthing already happened?" o0 Jack nodded. "Oh great. Now I _really_ can't wait for that movie to maketh its debut!"

Jack winked at her and 'smiled'. She had mentioned a sequel were being made to that play she'd described to him. _Well, you know...I can always tell you how it went. After all, I was there._

Ames nodded. "That would be cool, Jack. Thanks."

Jack bobbed his head and gestured with his muzzle toward the piles of hay off in one corner of the smithy's upper level. _Come, come along. May as well get comfortable; this could take a while_, he added wryly. They moved to that part of the shoppe, Jack having to execute some quirky jump to scramble up. Once they were both settled, he began. Without hands, he resorted, subconsciously, to gesturing with his ears, tail, and occasionally his muzzle. He had a very wide vocabulary, his young audience soon learned, but that only strengthened the clarity of the mental image his words described, and she felt sad for him amid her wonder at the story. The movie playing out in her head as he dictated it was suddenly interrupted by a picture of him as a human describing to her his story, hands gesturing wildly before him as if he were physically weaving the words flowing from his mouth into the tale he told. She closed her eyes, holding on to that image; he seemed much happier, so confident, so much more at home in that picture than he was right in front of her, where his playful eyes seemed to have lost their spark and in that place instead held some amount of sadness, discontent, a lack of sureness.

Jack wove his tale for the lass. She was a curious one, and he was glad to have such an eager audience. She had an active imagination, he knew; back on the _Pearl_—how he missed her!—she would sometimes spend hours at a time standing or sitting out of the way, and just daydreaming the whole time. And she demonstrated this now as she closed her eyes to better imagine his tale. He allowed himself a moment as he spoke to close his own eyes and imagine himself as a human, telling her about all of his adventures, a fond arm round her shoulders and her head cradled in his shoulder like a daughter's as she listened. Ah, if only. If only...He opened his eyes and looked at this girl who had come to him, only now realizing the bond that had grown between them in so short a time. He felt different; his position, though he had not shifted, seemed very awkward. He knew what had happened, and grinned mentally, pausing in his tale to see how long it would take her to look up or notice. -Best to surprise her,- he thought to himself. A several very long moments passed, possibly minutes, before she realized Jack had stopped talking. She opened her eyes slowly, and found that instead of staring at a hoof, she now stared at a boot. Her gaze shot upward and met the face of her friend. This time, he smiled outwardly, golden teeth glinting. Slightly unsteady on his legs as he kneeled there, he was completely unprepared when Amy threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and ended uptoppling backward, taking her with him. But her embrace—and her back, at that—were strong enough that she was able to pull them both up and steady him. Her hug tightened, and he was content to hug her shoulder back with his chin in an equine movement.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Will walked in to see his guest wrap her arms around a familiar figure, the pair nearly toppling over, and his jaw dropped to see his friend allow an insane girl embrace him so passionately. He would have to remember to admit her to a mental asylum. She needed it, if she thought she was from another world as well as thinking her horse was Jack. He looked around—where was her horse, anyway? With a blink, he turned back to the two. What was Jack doing with his chin? And then as if only just remembering he had arms, he suddenly returned her embrace, just as tight, just as passionate. Needless to say, Will's mouth still gaped.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ames was surprised enough that Jack had allowed her embrace, much more that he had returned it. She had never felt so safe as she did now in those arms. "Welcome back," she murmured softly, twisting around so she was leaning against him, her head cradled in his shoulder. "You think it wore off?"

_No, somehow I don't think that's how it works, luv, _he nickered gently, the deep equine noises resonating deep in his chest and against the child's jaw as it rested there.

She yawned then, hastily bringing up a hand to cover her mouth. "Mmm, excuse me. 'Guess I'm a bit tired."

_I would imagine so—it's well past midnight by now_. Jack nodded , though she couldn't easily see him, out of equine habit, and shifted their positions so that she was supported more stably against him. _Go ahead and sleep. I don't mind. _She opened her mouth to protest. _Now, the story can continue another time. You need your sleep, luv._ She blinked up at him gratefully before snuggling against his chest and falling quickly asleep—a rare occurrence that had been happening increasingly often since her arrival to the Caribbean. With care not to disturb the child, Jack gently remover her glasses, folding them and setting them on the floor nearby, still within reach.

Will chose this moment to approach Jack, moving quietly when he saw the girl was slumbering. The two friends made eye contact for a moment before Will spoke softly. "I can see you're fond of her, Jack." Jack responded with a silent blink of his eyes. "But we should send her to an asylum or something. She's ill in the head." Jack carefully, protectively, wrapped his free arm around the girl sleeping in his lap. "Jack," Will pleaded, "she needs help." Jack said nothing, just stared silently, angrily at the young blacksmith—who found no comfort in that rarest of rare silences. With a sigh, he leaned his head against the wall he had leaned them against and closed his eyes, arms still wrapped protectively around the lass. And through the night, he even went as far as to carefully draw his cutlass from his scabbard at Ames' waist and just sleep with it in his hand... Just in case of what Will might try.

Jack woke before dawn, slowly opening his eyes in the near-darkness and gazing down with a fatherly fondness at the girl snuggled against him. -Too early to wake her just yet,- he thought. -Let her sleep in a bit.- And so he was left in that early-morning silence with his thoughts. -How to get her back home...- He would have to remember who had journeyed as she had. It was someone close, someone of importance, the kind of person you really wouldn't forget. And it was this kind of forgetfulness that eats away at you, bothers you about it until you can remember. -We'll have to watch out for Norrington. Will is so bent on sending her off, God knows what he'll resort to.- And just like that, the light clicked on, and he knew exactly who they needed to go to. He gave her shoulder a gentle shake—he did not want to wait, for fear of forgetting again. _Ames, wake up._ ...Nothing. _Ames, it's important._ Her eyes fluttered under their lids, but she didn't wake. _Todd! Come on then, get up already, I've got something hat needs saying._

"No more mangoes!" her eyes flew open. "Oh, it's only you, Debbie." She grunted sleepily and closed her eyes again. "This had better be good."

_It is_, Jack said immediately, shifting her so the could meet each others' gaze. _I know who we need to talk to about a journey such as yours._ She blinked confusedly, her brain still a bit muddled from sleep. _It could very well be the next step to getting you home._

Amy's eyes widened. "Really? Who?"

_Well, it's not exactly who I would've picked for that sort of thing, but hey, that's the way these things work out sometimes. See, it's—...

* * *

_

Oh I'm so mean for leaving it there. And y'know, you'll all prolly end up waiting like two months for the next chapter. Anyone want to try a guess? If so, press the button and leave a review. If not...press the button and leave a review anyway! Okay than. Til next time.


	7. Whowhatandthewhynow?

My apologies for the long wait. I had about a third of this chapter done when the file was accidentally deleted off the disc, and I'm still recuperating, cuz I also lost a good part of another story I was working on of which I had been very proud. ;:sobs:;

Anywho, wow! Seven reviews! You guys—wait, scratch that—you _reviewers_ rock:;huggles and hands out rum;:

**Jess is a pirate: **You know, just one measly bottle o' rum ain't gonna buy back yer chinchilla. About ten crates of Captain Morgan with just as much or more coke might do the trick, though... X3

**Authoressinhiding:** One of those. Btw, you _do_ know that Murtogg is spelled with two g's, right? Anywho, you'll just have to wait and see, my friend. And giving Norry the catnip won't give you the answer, savvy?

**pirateobsessed:** Um, JackxAmes? Can anyone say "EEEEEEEWWW!"? I mean, he's over twice her age. As yummy as Jack is, that's just gross! but I still want him, tear tear Lol.

**RespectTheSporks:** You'll have to wait and find out. Methinks there's a bit about that in this chapter. The gov'ner? Hmmm...maybe... :;shifty eyes;:

**Little Miss Sparrow:** Weehoo! ;:runs around in circles:; Yay, a new reader! And yes, that was exactly how I planned it. I like to surprise my readers. XD

**marauder4ever:** Yayy! Another new reader! ;:runs around in more circles:; Sorry, mate. Can't promise frequent updates. Am a slow writer, often with a bad case of writer's block ((which I wrote a drabble about XD))

**luvvcaptainjack:** Wheeeee! Yet another new reader! ;:runs around in circles:; Whoa...:;falls over dizzy;: Yeah, I gotta stop doing that. I just gotta ask: tacos? Anyhow, extra rum to you: You're the first person to push all four buttons! YAYY:;applause;:

So yeah, I gots a snow day on Monday! Weeheee!

**Disclaimer:** Everything belongs to the mouse. I just bow down to it.

For those of you who didn't know: Nicker, whicker, whinny, snort, murmur, squeal, bray, etc. are all horsey noises. Savvy? Good. Glad I was able to clear that up for you. Now then, TALLY-HO! To the next chapter we go!

**Chapter Seven: Whowhatandthewhynow?**

—Ames' eyes widened in shock. "What in Hellfire—oh you gotta be kidding me!"

_And I'm speaking in English,_ Jack snorted. _Of course I'm not kidding!_

"Oh my gosh. Really?"

Jack nodded. _His mum were claimed to be from a realm similar to yours. Found it out by accident, but it could come in handy if I get into a bit of a...situation_.

"Situation? You? Never," the girl teased.

_As grudging as I am to admit it, anything's possible, luv, _Jack sighed. ((o0 Jack? Grudging to admit the possibilities? Wow. That's a definite first!)) _I'm planning on saving it for blackmail._

"Blackmail? How would that be blackmail?" Jack didn't answer right away. "Jack?" she pressed.

Hesitantly, Jack answered. _...His mother...was mistaken for practicing witchcraft...and was burned at the stake when he was still just a lad. He soon after moved to England from his Scottish birthplace under an assumed name, and fell in love with the sea. After that, he quickly began to rise in the ranks until he became what he is today: an esteemed, successful, well-known man. _Jack paused for effect before adding, _If his past is found out, he could well perish same as his mum did. 'S why he's so...er, how to put this... tight-laced_.

"Oh...I always thought he just had some acceptance issues—you know, felt the need to constantly sort of show off in order to feel accepted."

Jack pondered this a moment. _...That too..._

A thoughtful pause. "So then we have to go talk to him."

_Aye, but not immediately._ Amy raised her eyebrows in question. _First, we have a few...errands to run._

"Errands? What errands? Huh?-Huh?-Huh?"

Just then, Will strode in through the door, dressed nicely as if he'd just been somewhere socially respectable, and paused mid-stride upon seeing them. Jack looked up and nickered a greeting, willing, for the moment, to forget the lad's plans from the previous night. Jack shifted his lass off his lap and stood slowly, swaying slightly as it was his first time on two legs since he'd first become an equine. Taking slow, discreetly wobbling steps, he made his way down to the forge, motioning for Will to follow. He leaned against a table, crossing his arms and legs, and waited patiently for Will to remove his coat as he always did, and come down after him, unbuttoning his shirt in preparation for the heat of the fire. "You wanted to speak with me, Jack?" The pirate nodded. "I expect this is regarding sending her to the asylum?" Jack only nodded again, and they both turned to look at the girl, who was dozing again. "Right then. I'll send for an escort from the Trinity Mental Asylum immediately." Will turned to throw his coat over a chair, and when he faced Jack again, he found he was staring down the shining blade of the pirate's cutlass. "Jack?" He nervously stumbled away, finding himself trapped between Jack's blade and a stone corner, out of reach of any weapons with which he could defend himself. "Jack, please. She's ill, can't you see it? I just don't want to see her getting hurt." Jack sighed. At least the lad's heart was in the right place. Will continued, gaining confidence from the understanding expression his friend now wore. "Which is exactly why we must send her. She'll be safe there." Somehow, Jack wasn't so sure. "Jack. She thinks you're a horse," Will smiled. "And obviously you're not." Silence. "...Right?"

Jack finally couldn't take his own silence, and uttered a low whinny in response. Will's eyes widened. "Jack?" An equine snort through the nose and a barely-audible murmuring sound was his response. "Then it was true? It was all true?" Jack nodded, dark eyes piercing right through the spitting image of his late best mate before him. Will let a light laugh escape. "You're kidding."

The rogue snorted impatiently and loosed a high, exasperated whinny, loud enough that the girl started and woke. _Ames, get up._

"What? What?" She picked up her glasses and jumped down to the lower level, placing them firmly on the bridge of her nose as she joined them. "What's up?" Both Jack and Will gazed toward the ceiling, wearing confused expressions. Ames put a hand to her forehead and stifled a giggle. "Never mind. What do you need?" Jack murmured an answer, and her eyes widened. She backed away a step from Will, looking suddenly suspicious and untrusting. "Mentally ill? You think me insane in actuality?" Her eyes flickered from one to the other. "I may have my time periods mixed up, but didn't they execute people with mental disabilities around now?" she asked wryly, fearfully.

Will's eyes widened again. "How did you know about that?" After all, she had been unconscious every time he'd expressed his thoughts on the subject.

"Hul-_loo_," she threw her hands in the air. "Where have you been the last five days? Jack told me. You've heard the sounds he makes. Why can't you just accept it for the truth?"

"Because it's not truth, it's an insane girl's fantasy!"

_Whoa, calm down_, Jack snorted to them both. _My apologies, Todd. He's the logical thinker. It's a bit hard for him to go out of his comfort zone and see truth in what he considers fiction without a good bit of irrefutable proof. For instance, he didn't exactly believe in the curse until he saw their decaying forms for himself. Elizabeth is the one who can see through fiction and pick out what may be truth and what may not._

"Then maybe we should go speak with _her_ instead."

"Speak with who?"

"Your wife," she answered simply. Jack murmured something to her. "Oh yeah, but Jack kinda wants you to make me a cutlass first before we go." She smirked.

XxXxXxXxXxX

One new cutlass later, they had snuck through the streets to the manor where the Turners lived ((which was, by the way, the same manor the Swanns had occupied until Elizabeth got married and Will moved in)). "So does the Governor still live here?"

"Yes. He has taken it upon himself to stay out of our way, though, and is out of the house a good bit of the time. He shouldn't be back till nightfall." Will led them to the front door, with a furtive glance over his shoulder to make sure Jack wasn't seen. Ames was a bit curious as to why he was worried; the manor was set back about a tenth of a mile from its front gates. No one in town could see them. Then she noticed what must've been a gardener poking at and tending to a rosebush nearby, saw several other servants going about their routines through the window. Jack leaned back so that he was hidden by the thick foliage of a bush just next to the door. As soon as no one was looking, Will opened the door and the three darted inside. At the sound of the door closing, a butler appeared, expecting to take his master's coat. He had not expected to find with him a young woman dressed in a man's clothes and a certain Captain Jack Sparrow. "Ah. Johnson. Just the man I was hoping to see. See to it that we and Elizabeth are not disturbed."

"Yessir," Johnson replied, suspiciously eyeing Jack who smiled half-heartedly as they were led out of the main hall and into a parlor, where said Elizabeth was sitting comfortably in a window seat, sewing up a hole in one of Will's smithing shirts, a small pile of other clothes of his what needed mending on the floor nearby.

Ames leaned over to Jack. "Remind me again why we came?"

_We need _someone _to straighten Will out. If we can't make a believer out of him, she can._

Shelooked up from her work and paused mid-stitch. "Jack!" She jumped up and caught the pirate and an embrace. Jack returned the hug, nickering quiet greetings. She didn't notice. Will was eyeing her suspiciously, and she was beginning to blush under his scrutiny. "What?"

"You're..." he looked her up and down, "...wearing maids' dresses again."

Elizabeth glanced down at her apparel, then back up at him, shrugging. "It's so much more comfortable than those elaborate dresses Father keeps buying. You know that—I must've told you a dozen times at least, Will."

"Yes, but when we have company?" Will glanced, not at Jack but at the lass.

"Oh, I don't mind," the girl said quickly, an idea beginning to form.

Elizabeth looked at her, not fooled by the deceiving clothes. "Hello there. Elizabeth Turner," she introduced herself, curtsying politely.

"Nee Swann, right? I'm Amy," said the younger woman with a bow and a flourish.

"Pleasure to meet you."

"Same here."

"That's an interesting necklace," Elizabeth observed, noticing a pounded-metal pendant on a chord of braided leather.

Ames touched her fingertips to the metal. "Oh this?" She blinked once or twice, then swiped off her glasses, observing the dust, and shoved them into her belt. She removed the necklace, glad to have a prop, and held it there, the pendant swinging back and forth slightly. "'Ye don't know what this is, do ya?'" Elizabeth didn't answer. Only looked confused. "'This is Aztec gold,'" the lass continued, her voice growing gruff and her accent becoming all-too-familiar. "'One of eight hundred and eighty-two pieces they delivered in a stone chest to Cortéz, himself. Blood money paid to stem the slaughter he wreaked upon them with his armies. But the greed of Cortéz was insatiable. So the heathen gods placed upon the gold...a terrible curse. Any mortal that removes but a single piece from that stone chest...shall be punished for eternity.' 'I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Captain Barbossa,'" she mimicked Elizabeth's voice for a moment. "'Aye,'" replied Barbossa's. "'That's exactly what I thought when we were first told the tale. Buried on an island what cannot be found, except by those who know where 'tis. Find it we did.'" Will glanced at Jack, who was rooted to the spot, watching the girl reenact part of his past. "'There be the chest. Inside be the gold. And we took 'em all!'" She lashed her arm out as the wily captain had done to animate her words, then beginning to pace. "'We spent 'em and traded 'em, frittered them away on food and drink and pleasurable company...but the more we gave them away, the more we came to realize...the drink would not satisfy.'" The girl leaned in closer, miming Barbossa'a exact movements. "'Food turned to _ash_ in our mouths. And not all the pleasurable company in the world could slake our lust. We are cursed men, Miss Turner.'" She leaned back into the shadows, looking every bit like a pirate in just the expression on her face. "'Compelled by greed we were, but now...we are consumed, by it.'"

Acting wasn't Amy's strong point, but the speech had been good enough to have the desired effect; Elizabeth stood frozen, looking as if she had just seen a ghost. She and Barbossa had been alone in the cabin when that had happened, save for the monkey. "How...?"

Ames only grinned and wove her tale again.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"...And, well, that basically sums it up."

"...And Will wanted to send you to an asylum?" Elizabeth asked, tone sharp as she shot a glare at her husband."

"He didn't believe me that Jack is—was—is a horse."

"Wait, what?"

Ames heaved a sigh. They had sat down on a couch—which really wasn't all too comfortable—while Will stood, listening, and Jack stared discreetly out the window through the thin curtains. "We got hold of a Eohippus fruit, and, while I took a meager taste and he ate the whole thing, well...let's say, four days later, he was hoofin' it on the beach and I was understanding every word of it."

"She says the fruit turned him, and allowed her to speak with him," Will added. Ames blinked—hadn't he just been contradicting every word she'd spoken only this morning?

"Anywho, something happened last night and he changed back, at least most of the way."

"What do you mean?" nee Swann turned to face the pirate. "Jack?" A low whinny in response floated to her ears. She looked back to the girl. "What did he say?"

"He says that if we're going to pay a visit to our 'little friend,' we should probably do it soon. He thinks the guy might know a thing or two on how I might get back to my own dimension."

Jack nickered again, still staring out the window. Elizabeth stared at her husband a moment, her gaze flicking to the rogue and back. "You didn't believe this young woman about Jack? Even with all these noises he's been making."

"Oh, no, Elizabeth. I've seen and heard enough to assume that, but I still need more proof. That she's from the future, or another world entirely..._that_ I can't believe."

"Well I can't think of anyone who would be able to capture Barbossa's character as well as a girl who has only copied it from a play she's seen. I shudder to think how realistic the actual actor's rendition must have been. Goodness, I doubt she's from our realm at all, as we're apparently fictional characters where she comes from."

Ames had stopped listening to the conversation—she had about the attention span of a mouse when she wanted to—and was instead following Jack's gaze out the window and noticing what a wonderful day it would be for riding. Of course, the only steed she knew well enough to ride was Jack, and thus she was imagining him as such that they could ride through a field or something.

Meanwhile, Jack was pondering how he never developed land legs anymore, and how annoying the unsteadiness was. The horse was much more stable on solid ground than he was as a man. He imagined himself trotting through that expansive garden, weaving between trees and bushes, leaping over a log taller than Marty, the vertically challenged crewman whom he valued very much for his experience and loyalty.

"Skeletal curses by heathen gods may be possible. A man turned into a horse could be possible. But a child traveling from one world to the next just isn't. Elizabeth—." Will was cut off when Jack suddenly loosed a high squeal, and all turned to stare at him. A wind or the like of one seemed to fill the room and whip around him, tearing at his flesh in one place and sewing it up in another. His fingers began to fuse together and become hooves, as were his feet, boots and clothing seeming to melt into his flesh. His snout elongated and ears stretched, and before any of them truly knew what was going on, a horse was standing in the middle of the Turners' polished and elegant parlor. Will's jaw dropped and he stared wide-eyed at the stallion. "Miss Amy?"

Ames was staring at Jack as well, answering without taking her eyes off him. "Yeah?"

"I think I believe you now."

"Yeah."

* * *

Oh, did I just do that? Did I just make you wait for the next chapter to find out what you wanted to find out in the last chapter? Oo, I'm such an evil girl–don't shoot me. Now review, or suffer the agony of never finding out who knows the information they need. And to you shadow reader out there; I know you're out there. Four and a half hundred hits to a story says some things. And I do know a couple of you by name, so don't be surprised if I come a-knocking over the course of the next couple of chapters, savvy? Now, REVIEW! Or suffer the not-updating slow writer's block annoyingness that I tend to often exhibit! MUAHAHAHAA! –ahem– ...yeah... XD


	8. How Revealing!

Hallo, I'm back again! Wow, that was quick...anywho, just to let you know, while you're waiting for me to update, there's this really random and extremely hilarious fic out under the title of "Oddness", posted under the author name of pirateobsessed. Not only shall you read it along with this story, but you shall review it, too! ...or suffer the attack of a very maniacal Rin. And if you don't know who Rin is, then go read the freaking story, and leave a review. Savvy?

Oki, now that I gots that off me chest, it's time to reply to some reviews:

**Jess Is A Pirate:** Yes, I made you wait another chapter :;cackles evilly;: And about the coke truck? Yesh. And don't forget the Captain Morgan to go with that, sabieren? HA, yeah, last Halloween was hilarious. I still don't get how he knew Dave was a girl, but didn't see through my disguise...what finally made him realize I was a girl anyway? LESTER! Our favorite possum -and Jeff's hedgehog from Vanessa, who is really starting to make his move- 0.o; Oh, and it's Burton, ya whelp, not burtin. GEEZE!

**Little Miss Sparrow:** You know something, I actually understood that! o.0;; wow. Glad to know I can make you laugh, and why thank ye for such a luverly review. XD But running in circles is fun! And so addicting! And if I can't write anymore, well...hmm, I could use that as a threat to get people to review. ;:evil eyes:; MUAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

**pirateobsessed:** In the same place? Maybe. Close to it, anyway. Anywho, tell Rin—that is, if she _already_ knows—that I apologize for using her face (o0). I shall use o.0 and 0.o from now on. And if she _doesn't _already know, I see no need to tell her, savvy? Alright?... And yes, _crazy _minds do think alike.

...And _great _minds think CHEESE! Iheart Cheese. Xd

**Authoressinhiding:** Why wouldn't you review? Why would you even ask such a horrid question? I'd start worrying after the first couple of chapters, and then I'd see you log on and such and know you'd been ignoring...or I'd get really paranoid, so...and then I'd get a bit discouraged to write, cuz you're one of my strongest supporters, mate. Anywho, you spelled Murtogg with one 'g' in your last review. You should know that already, so don't ask me. Duh.

**RespectTheSporks:** I'm updating, I'm updating! Geeze, happy? And no, I haven't read it. Haven't heard of it, to be quite honest...

**marauder4ever:** Why thankee!

Oh, and...-counts- let's see, seven in July, 31 March, 30, 31, 30...and however many days are left in February by the time I get around to posting this...well, add the last one to 129 and you get however many days left to go until PotC2 cometh out. w00t! X3

Disclaimer: I own nothing. -sobs- NOTHING, you hear? -sobs again, then perks up and starts running in circles again- WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

**Chapter Eight (whoa, 8 chapters! ...dang): How Revealing!**

They stood, staring confusedly at the stallion in the parlor. Finally shaking herself out of the trance, Amy stepped over to him, laying a palm on his neck. He turned his head and looked at her with deep, intelligent eyes, ears flicking forward. _What, might I ask, just happened?_

"You turned into a horse again."

_Yes, I had figured that much, thank you, _he snorted sarcastically. _What I meant was what was it that made it happen?_

Ames shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea." She thought a moment. "What were you thinking about right before it happened?"

_About being a horse, but I've done that quite a few times since I changed back, and nothing has happened._

"Interesting, I was thinking the same. Beautiful day for riding, eh?" she asked, blinking her eyes pleadingly.

Jack sighed. _That it is. But I wish things weren't so obscured about this whole thing. What makes this keep happening?_

"I don't know, why don't we go back and ask the other fruits?" she rolled her eyes.

As did Jack, tossing his elegant equine head. Then something clicked. _Wait. You ate part of that same fruit, aye?_

"...Yes."

_Then perhaps we are linked somehow through that fruit. Whenever we think the same regarding my shape, it must trigger something. Quick, what were you thinking about last night when I changed back?_

"About you being human," she answered quickly, an epiphany coming on.

_As was I! _Jack replied. _That must be it then. Quick, think of me being human again._

"Aww, but it's such a nice day for riding."

_We can ride later, provided this works...Actually, we can ride if this _doesn't_ work, too, but we need to see if it will first, all right?_ Ames nodded, and they both pictured Jack as a human. Long moments passed in which nothing happened, before Jack said gently, _You're letting your mind wander._

Amy opened the eyes she had not recalled closing, and gaped at him incredulously. "How did you know that?"

_I...don't know, luv. I saw myself in me own head, then...saw something what looked like...Norrington?...Something about him being attractive?_ Jack shuddered.

Ames groaned. "Oh geeze, we really are linked through this thing, aren't we?"

_Aye. Now, back to the issues at hand, darling. I'd rather like to know how this all works, if it's all the same to you._

"Fine, fine." So they imagined, carefully keeping their imaginations in check. Both had unconsciously shut their eyes to better picture his flamboyant, charming (annoying) self. Ames felt a slight breeze brush against her face, and she opened her eyes to see the wind that had rushed to the pirate was now rushing away, taking anything and everything with it that it had brought (i.e. anything horsey), and returning anything it had taken (for instance anything human, savvy?). She was surprised at how gentle a breeze it was now, seeing how violently it had come to him before. No wonder she hadn't noticed him change back the night before until she realized the story had stopped!

Will and Elizabeth exchanged a bewildered glance. What just happened?

Back to Jack, who was only now opening his eyes, looking himself up and down, holding up a hand and flexing his fingers, patting his chest as if to make sure it was solid and real, wiggling his toes inside his boots, rocking on his feet a few times, wiggling his mustache, et cetera. He looked back to the lass. _As human as before, darling. It worked!_

She grinned a moment, before it quickly faded from her face. "But you still can't talk."

Jack shook his head, giving her an annoyed look for ruining the victory. That was _his _job, after all! _No, not yet. But I will once we get all this sorted out, you mark my words._

"You're starting to sound like Gibbs again."

_What do you expect? I've known the man for most o' me life. Don't be a hypocrite—I've caught you acting like me more often than not, and most of it wasn't just to get dear Mr. Turner to believe you, savvy?_

"Jeez, Jack, I was only pointing it out." Jack blinked. "You take things a bit personally for an experienced pirate."

_Dammit, the equine characteristics must be rubbing off on me about as much as I rub off on you._

"Nah, you just look tired."

_...That too..._

"No riding then? You need some rest."

_No, we can ride, if only for a short time._

"You sure?"

_Aye. 'Sides, I could use a bit of exercise, you could use a bit of fun—why not? 'S a wonderful day, so you said, eh?_

Ames hesitated a moment. "Sure," she nodded. "Let's do it." Both bowed their heads in focus, closing their eyes simultaneously, and moments later Jack was a horse again.

_Yes, this is a definite improvement._

"Miss?"

"My apologies, Mrs. Turner, we were hoping to take a ride through the garden."

"Yes, well he could've waited until he was outside first before changing back."

"Nah. Too big a risk of being seen." Hoofbeats echoed against the polished floor, and they looked up to see Jack, nearly nose to nose with Will. "'Do you believe us now?' he asks."

"Yes, Jack," Will replied in an instant. He stepped back a pace so he could see more than just the dark, whiskery muzzle. And to escape the smell of horsebreath, but that's beside the point. He laid a hand tentatively on the stallion's forehead, as if to prove to himself what he'd just seen (and twice, at that!) had been real. Jack nickered gently in response, as if to say 'Yes, it's really me.' An ear flicked toward the girl, and he pulled away from the touch.

"Ready?"

_Aye._

She led him out of the house, shirking off the surprised stares of the gardeners, and vaulted up high onto his back. (Seventeen-three hands, about, so...math time...seventeen times four, plus three, divided by twelve and with a remainder...his back was about five feet and eleven inches off the ground, if my math is as good as it's supposed to be (yay for mental math!), and that's higher than it seems, mind you. He's a tall horse. Really.) Wrapping her legs around him, she urged him into a jouncing trot and worked on her posting while bareback—which needed some work—warming the both of them up. After one lap around the capacious garden, she urged him into a smooth canter, her body moving with him as well as his moved with the _Pearl._ Experimenting with her bareback skills—which were not particularly great—she steered him toward a fallen log, out of the way and out of sight of anyone on the main path. Only a foot high, but it was sufficient for the practice, and they flew over at what might have been considered a bit too fast. After near a half hour had passed, Jack finally slowed and stopped. _Come on, we should go find him and see if he'll help. It's getting later than I would like it to be._

"Fine, fine. Was fun while it lasted." Jack bobbed his head, not necessarily agreeing nor disagreeing, cantering back to the front door, from which Elizabeth and Will had decided to watch. "We're gonna head off," she told them. "We should be back around nightfall." With a nod from the both of them, Jack whirled around and took off at a canter down the path, through the garden, down the street.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Oh, sir, can I help you with that?" asked a stable hand by the building they were headed for. "I can hold him for you while you're in there, provided you have an appointment."

"Oh, that I do, mate," Amy replied, lowering her voice a bit. She dismounted, exchanging a glance with her horse.

_I'll be fine. You just get in there, and I'll find you both, all right?_

She nodded discreetly. "Thankee, sir," she replied to the hand, holding out a shilling and handing over Jack's lead.

She headed inside, whispering silent good lucks to her friend. Up the stairs, down the hall, round the corner and down another hall—she didn't know how she knew where to go, really, but perhaps Jack had tapped into her subconscious again and was guiding her there. She could only imagine he had snuck there for whatever various reasons he might have had. She stopped right outside his door, pondering the thought of him having an appointment with another scheduled for this very time, and leaned down to observe through a keyhole, noting as she did so that the door was unlocked. There he sat, behind his desk doing endless paperwork. He was bereft of his coat for the heat, and it was hanging on a stand in the corner. He wasn't expecting anyone. Thus, with confidence, she threw open the door and strode in, careful not to turn her back as she closed it again. They stared at one another in silence for a moment untilshe finally greeted him."'Ello, Commodore."

* * *

There, happy mates? Ye got your answer. Now review, or I'll...have to start running around in circles until I'm too dizzy to update, savvy? -MUAHAHA!- So yeah, review. Or else. That blue button. Yeah. Click it. C'mon. Not that hard. C'moooooonnnn. You knwo you want to. Click it. _Cliiiccckkk iiittt._ And review. Oki? Oki. Now. Click. Bye.

P.S. C'mon, it's fun to go clicky clicky and Tappity taptap! Click. Button. There. Click.


	9. WaitWhat?

**Little Miss Sparrow:** Why thank ye for clicking! And no, you really don't want to know where I got that from. -smirk- Anywho, thankee for clicking!

**marauder4ever:** Yeah, I don't think anyone ('cept Jess) was expecting it. XD

**Authoressinhiding:** Sounds like you had fun! What band was it? Why am I asking, since I don't really listen to anything but soundtracks anyway? Anywho, thank you for being such a wonderful reviewer. Moo.

**Jess Is a Pirate:** Killing you? I know I'm violent, but I'm not _that_ bad... anywho, it's in this chapter. Love me for this, cuz I can't believe I even let myself post it. Geeze. The things I do for you...

**obbits14:** I got one I got one! Yay, a new reviewer! WEEHOO! -runs around in circles (which is a lot of fun)- Glad to see ye finally decided to step out of the shadows. Much obliged for the review. Keep 'em comin'!

Hmm...murmur backwards...rumrum X3...embargo...ograbme o.0;;

**Disclaimer:** Hail the mouse.

**Chapter Nine: Wait...What?**

He stood immediately upon hearing her voice. He blinked a moment, looking quite confused, opening his mouth to say something, then closing it again, brow furrowing. Only a moment later, he had regained his composure. "Did you have an appointment?" he asked, suddenly looking nervous—well actually, looking proper and not with a bit of discomposure, but Ames had a way of seeing things like that—"Madam?" he added hastily, seeing past the deceiving clothing.

"Nah, mate. None at all, so don't go getting your britches all in a bunch now, savvy?"

He blinked again, a ghost of a smile appearing for the most fleeting of moments, and there was a masked but still existent look of amusement deep within the depths of his eyes at hearing her mock both him and his nemesis Jack Sparrow in the same action. "Can I help you with something, Miss?"

"I should hope so, else I'll be stranded here a good while, won't I?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"No. Didn't think you would," she shook her head. "That's 'cuz I haven't told you yet. Savvy?"

He nodded, and for the second time that day, she explained everything about the movie, how she got here, and some things that were happening. Of course, that Jack was a horse had escaped her memory once again, but hey, she's only a teen. What did you expect? "Yes, Mademoiselle, I think I've heard enough. Please, stay here while I um, go fetch an escort for you to the Trinity Asylum."

Ames groaned. "Geeze, why does everyone keep doing that?" Her eyes narrowed with distrust, glaring at him.

Norrington only straightened and moved a step in the direction of the door. "No need to panic, milady. I am merely trying to help you."

"Help me? Helping me would be answering a few of my questions and perhaps help me find a way to return to my own dimension. That would be helping me." He still looked at her like she was crazy. Taking a chance and hoping she wasn't ruining things for Jack in the future, she added softly, "I know about your mother."

James blinked, silent a moment. "What?"

"I know she came from a world like mine, and that she was killed for no crime she committed."

The navy man's eyes darkened. "She was burned for allegedly practicing witchcraft. That she was a witch even I don't know for sure."

"Come on, she _came_ from another world, didn't she? And if she did, why is it so impossible that I did, too?" There were hurried footsteps just outside the door, and a moment later Jack burst in, closing the door hastily and leaning against it to catch his breath. "Hey."

—_Is for horses. How're things going with the stiff?_

"Erm, we're still working on that one, Cap'n."

James looked from one to the other. "All right, I'll take a chance and guess Sparrow is in on this, too?"

"_Captain._ Captain Sparrow, to you, Norrikens." James blinked, brows coming together again. Norrikens? What in the heck? Jack nickered quiet greetings, before whinnying in low tones to her. "No, I haven't asked yet. He's like Will—wants to send me off to some mental hospital. Same one if my memory serves me correctly."

"And by now I know I was, in doing so, doing the right thing. If Sparrow believes you, well..."

"Oh you little—!"

Jack silenced them both with a neigh. _Stop with this foolishness, the both of you. Even if you _can't _understand my saying it._

James heard the sound, caught off guard. "What, Sparrow? Coming down with something are we?"

"Um, actually no. It's just that he's a horse is all." Norrington's eyes narrowed, flicking from one to the other. "Ugh, fine. He needs proof."

_Again? Bloody—! Ah well, at least he sees truth in fiction a _bit_ more easily than young Mr. Turner. He was in denial. The Commodore here knows the truth when he sees it._

"Still, let's give him a show."

Jack sighed. _You're starting to like this a bit _too_ much, luv. Fine, fine, we'll show him exactly what we mean. God forbid if he even takes a step toward that bayonet..._ They both stepped closer to each other. _You know, I think I might cave the floor in if we do this._

"Then we'll make it quick before that can happen. Now focus," she hissed. The wind came again, through the open window and scattering Norrington's orderly piles of paper. And there was Jack, a horse. Yet again. For the third time today. And human as soon as James nodded to confirm his belief. "So...in exchange for that little tidbit of information, all holds fair you return the favor. Eh? What say you to that?" Oh how she loved mocking Jack. So much fun.

"Well then, I'll admit it, yes, my mother had claimed to come from another realm, and had found this world a bit more accommodating," he murmured quitely, only hoping Jack couldn't hear so well as a horse while human.

Ames brightened. "So you'll help then?"

Norrington gave her a contemplating look, seeming as if he were about to answer yes. Instead... "No." And he turned, scooping up his coat from where it had fallen to the floor in Jack's transforming wind, putting it on, then crossing the room to replace a fallen map to its rightful position on the wall.

At his decision, she looked a bit crestfallen. But moments later, her face creased into a sly grin, an idea coming to her that she would never have done before she came here. Hey, being around Jack does that sort of thing to you. "Ja-ames," she cooed to his turned back in an almost sing-song voice. He rolled his eyes, still refusing to turn around. There was a slight clunking noise just behind him, but he disregarded it as anything important. He tensed when he felt her arms drape around his shoulders. "Oo, Jamesie, yer such a gentleman," she whispered softly in his ear, gently sticking a hand down his collar and tracing a finger along his collarbone. "Now, please," she layed a few butterfly kisses to his neck, "be a dear and help us out a bit, eh?" She could feel him blushing, and had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. She chanced a glance over one shoulder at Jack, whose lips were pursed tightly in a futile attempt to hide laughter. He was clearly enjoying the show. As was she. Who wouldn't want to see the high and mighty Commodore squirm?

"Miss, please..." he couldn't finish, the pressure she was threatening to release on his earlobe forming a lump in his throat and silencing his voice. He swallowed heavily.

"Oh, James, what ever could be the matter?" she mocked his voice femininely. "Not having any fun?" He still couldn't speak, just shook his head. "Well I can always stop, you know." She felt him begin to relax in her embrace. "At a price," she whispered dangerously, and his shoulders tensed again. "I'll stop, Jamesie," she cooed, "_if_, and _only _if you promise to help us out...Savvy?" He nodded once more, and she immediately removed her hand from its place inside his shirt. "Oh, good!" she said in a strangely cheery voice. "No worries, then." She hopped off the chair she had set behind him and walked over to Jack, stopping before him, arms crossed, wearing a humorous frown. "The things I do for you," she said with narrowed eyes and a shake of her head. Jack could barely suppress his laughter, and a bit of a nicker was all he was able to manage in comment. She nodded agreement. "Yeah, best entertainment I've had the pleasure of experiencing. Very funny. Much fun. Never doing it again!"

Now it was Jack's turn for a humorous frown. _Even funnier than that McCarthy chap during the...what was it you said, food fight?_

"Yeah, surprisingly! I mean, principal McCarthy? All we saw of him was this old guy yelling at us and red in the face, calling us embarrassments over a food fight. Yes, I think we were embarrassments." Jack met her gaze seriously, about to contradict when she cut him off with a chuckle: "Cause that was prolly the _weakest_ food fight in history!"

Jack grinned. _Yer incorrigible, luv._

"Yup. Almost as much as you!"

All through this, Norrington had not once yet turned around, and now was looking out through the window, arms folded neatly behind him, still refusing to face them. "Might I ask why you have chosen me of all the claimed psychics out there? Why not some fortune teller in Tortuga? Or some gypsy in South America?"

"Because you're the only one who knows any of this for sure. And you're the only one at least _I_ can trust, even if Jack is a bit skinky about it." Yeah, 'skinky' was one of her self-manufactured words, but the meaning was identifiable, at least.

"Why is it, may I be so bold as to ask, that you have the notion that this is any of my concern?"

"It _is _your concern, sir. Your mother was innocent. We all know that much. What would you do to have been able to help someone like your mother? What would you have done to even be able to _meet_ someone like your mother?"

He finally turned around to face her. "A long time ago, I would've given a lot." There was a silence, and his eyes grew distant for a most fleeting of moments. "Tell me, in your world, can you light an entire room without flames or the like with just a touch to the wall?"

It took the ignorant teen a few moments to understand what he meant, but then it dawned on her like a pigeon working on its target practice. "Oooh. Yeah, something like that. We flip a switch on the wall and that sends energy through the wires to the filaments in the light and something—heck, even _I_ don't know that much—happens and it lights up with the electricity and I'm making absolutely no sense to you whatsoever anyway, am I?"

Jack was gaping at her, and James could only shake his head a little bewilderedly. "No." Then he realized she had basically answered 'yes' to his question, and ventured further. He had a hunch... "What's your name, miss?"

Her dark, brown eyes flickered to Jack's face for a moment. "Uh...Amy."

She let out a cry of alarm as he lunged forward, grasping her tightly by the shoulders, face only inches from hers. "What is your surname?" he demanded. She only blinked at him, untrusting, eyes still wide with surprise. He gave her shoulders a shake. "Tell me."

"Okay, okay! Geeze, keep your britches on already!" Norrinton blinked and released her immediately. "...Okay. Xyphir. My name—is Amy Xyphir."

The commodore shook his head in what looked to be disbelief. "And you're yet unmarried?" She nodded. "Are you honest, young lady, or is this all some hoax?"

"I'm telling you the freaking truth, damn you!" ...Yeah, she easily lost patience in these situations...

James' shoulders sagged slightly, like the truth of something was hitting him full force. "So you must be the original, then."

Ames smirked. "_Theee_ one and only." Then she frowned, realizing his words had more meaning than what she'd taken. "Wait...what?"

"My mother...I recall her saying that I would meet her original one day. She said she was made from another person...like a copy. She used some word foreign to me to describe it, but I can't seem to remember what it was. C-something..."

There was a short, uneasy silence. "Clone?" the girl ventured.

James' head snapped up, and he looked her in the eye. "Yes. That."

Her brow creased. "I'm gonna get CLONED?" And she loosed a long stream of curses and swears which shan't be listed here that one can only acquire from being around pirates, scallywags, devils, black sheep...really bad eggs...drink up, me 'earties, yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's—oops! Yeah, umm, back to the plot-thing... "Who would wanna clone me anyway?" she was fuming. "And how? I mean, what—is someone stalking me? They'd have to, to get my DNA and stuff."

"She said something about being a hyper-clone. I'm not sure—the term makes no sense that I can decipher. An energetic copy? No, she was a very calm woman."

"No, no. Hyper-clone means a clone made at hyper speed. Like an instant copy. Didn't know technology was getting that far... How old was she when she came here?"

"I don't know, Miss Xyphir. I was only a child then—it was all so long ago."

"Fine, fine," she grumbled.

Jack finally pulled out of his confused silence. _Whoa, luv, back to the matters at hand, eh? I swear, you deviate from the main path like roots of a tree._

She blinked, staring at him a moment. Strangely enough, his analogy had made sense to her. _Oh noz_, she thought._ Now he's starting to sound intelligible. I've _definitely _been here too long..._ "Oh...right. So, Jamesie, what all do you know about how yer mum got here?"

"Nothing besides some measure of desire... But I have a few of her belongings with me—she gave them to me long ago, years before she was captured. One of them was her diary, but, for the sake of respect, I've not laid eyes on its contents."

"Even so, before we can do anything, we need to get Jack back to normal."

_Glad to know I'm still on your to-do list, darling,_ Jack whickered.

James looked unsure. "Come on, buddy, we can do both simultaneously. Besides, it's my fault Jack is like this in the first place. I won't leave until he's cured, if there even _is_ a cure, and—well, I take it you're a man of your word and I trust that you are—so naturally, you'll stay along for the ride and look through anything of your mother's that might lead to something." He was looking distant again, probably reliving some old memory Ames' presence had unearthed. "You _will_ still help us, won't you?" He gazed at her, confusion and uncertainty creasing his (fine) features. He could see his mother in her easily. Too easily. To know that this was the girl his mother had even come from... "Of course, I would understand if you wouldn't want to. I'm sure my coming here has caused you a lot of pain, and you know, of course, that my not returning would result in your mother never existing. I would understand if you didn't want to send me back—she wouldn't have to go through any of it. Even if it meant you would never have been born..."

_Do you know how many lives that would change?_ asked a voice in her head. _So many people would not be alive today. Too much is at stake: the esteemed Commodore Norrington is too important a man to not exist._ Ames blinked. That certainly wasn't her normal mental voice...sounded a bit, in fact, like Jack... She felt a tug at her mind as the voice spoke again. _As much as I hate to admit it, his presence is key for me, too. If it weren't for him, I would've hanged all those years ago, now, wouldn't I have?...And no one day's head start._

_Yes,_ she thought back to the voice. _I don't know why, but it just felt like that was what needed to be said. _Jack shifted suddenly, and she looked to see him gaping at her with a shocked expression on his face. Had he just heard her thoughts? _Oh right, we're linked like that. Remember this morning when we were experimenting? You knew my mind was wandering because you knew my thoughts. That must be how it works._

_So then, we're communicating through thought right now?_

_Telepathically, yes. ...Weird._

James looked from one to the other as they stared at each other. The way their eyes bore into the other, it seemed as though they would stare a hole right through one another. Then he realized he had not yet answered the girl's question. How rude of him, he noted with a mental wince. Clearing his throat, he commanded their attention. "I can see her in you," he murmured. "If it means helping Jack so that she could even enjoy being alive, however short her life was, then I'll do it."

"Ah, thank you, sir!" and, acting on impulse, she wrapped her arms around him, coming from the big happy hugging family she did, and held him close for a moment in gratitude. She felt the graze of his arm lightly around her before she pulled away, blushing. "My apologies," she bobbed her head. "I tend to—er—act on impulse, something that has, since I've been in accordance with Jack, been occurring increasingly often..._today_..."

* * *

There's yer chapter. And oh! Look, I made it 'specially long just for you! ...and to make up for how short the last chapter was, but it's still for you. 

Yeah yeah, I know, this chapter lacked all action and even slightly interesting plot. Intermediate chapter. Yeah yeah yeah...anywho, review. Or suffer. Suffer horribly...just as soon as I discover new technology that will allow me to smite you all through cyberspace... ...not... working... So just review. Please? Pretty please? Please as pretty as Jack?


	10. Boots and Truths

**w00t, thanks for all the reviews!**

**Little Miss Sparrow: Yes, it is an odd name, I agree. I refer to it in the introduction to the first chapter, if you recall.**

**pirateobsessed: Yes, Norrie. Who else but him, eh?**

**Jess is a Pirate: Yah-huh. That food fight was so lame. Almost as lame as all these freaking fire alarms! PEOPLE STOP BEING STUPID! -takes relity check- Yeah, that'll never happen. Anywho, it's been about eight years since I had a yoohoo. -scowls- lucky.**

**marauder4ever: Why thankee! Am updating, as you can see.**

**Authoressinhiding: You know, even when you refuse to review but rather leave a comment, it's always so encouraging, and I would just like to thank you for your constant support. You and Jess both have been with me from the start. -huggles and hands out rum-.**

**obbits14: Thankee for the review, mate! A marySue, from what I have heard, is a character who is perfect in every way but one, and that one flaw tugs at the reader's heartstrings a bit while not actually harming the character. Commonly, all the other characters love her. Male version: GarySue. Weird. And yes, I am well aware of her relation to dear Jamesie. You'll see in a bit. Yeah o.0 clones. Sorry, I had to think of something. Glad you liked it. And to answer your next question, we'll see.**

**animebishi: Yayy! New reader!Weehoo! -runs around in circles a few times- Am updating, I'm updating! Hold your horses (of which Jack is not one, by the way). -smirk-**

**Mrs Capt Jack Sparrows: Weehoo, 'nother new reader! -runs around in more circles- -runs into wall- ...Ow...anywho, danke for the luverly review! Here be yer update!**

**Disclaimer: DON'T SUE ME! -sobs- Why oh why must they make me admit what I do not have? -runs away to weep-**

A/N: Just as a bit of background on James' mum, she was created from several different people, but Ames was considered the main original, because it was from her that his mum's personality, brain, and quite a few traits were taken. In short, she was the most used of all the sources of 'material'. So, she found him attractive? Duh. She saw the things she liked about herself reflected oh soslightly in his features. Oki, so it was originally going to be her cousin, but she wasn't really close to either of her cousins, so that wouldn't work. Then it was going to be her sister, but let's face fact: this is a self insert, and my own sis is a total Jacka$$, pardon my French, and she doesn't deserve him, so then it was going to be her, and I'm thinking -**AWKWARD! AWKWARD!- **So that couldn't work...so yeah. Now that I gots that done, here be teh next chapter. **Enjoy, and as always, leave a review!**

**Chapter Ten: Boots and Truths**

Jack managed to sneak out, finding his way back to the Swann mansion unnoticed. James and Amy strode out minutes later, quietly conversing, one offering slight explanations to the stories the other had heard described to him. A passing lieutenant did a double-take at the pair, as it were uncommon for a high-ranking Commodore such as this one to mingle with that who appeared to be a lowly street urchin. Once into town, sideward glances were less common, and the streets were not as crowded. "A TV is just a device we use which displays...moving pictures, so to say. A _man-screen_ as you said, is a television with a screen of...oh, 'bout six feet diagonally," she was explaining. "Plenty expensive, that size. Much harder to get. Thousands of dollars at least, I can—" She stopped in her tracks, eyes going wide.

James had continued on a few paces before realizing she was not beside him. He turned and strode back to her. "What is it?"

It took her a few moments to reply, like she was biting down all sound. "Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap!" she finally managed, leaning on his arm for support as she lifted one foot. They both saw the blood dripping along her foot. James whipped out a kerchief and cleared some of it away, Ames tightening her hold on his arm as she bit back a cry of severe discomfort. Looking again, they saw a piece of glass poking out from her tender sole. She bit down a curse and instead exchanged worried expressions with the Commodore. "What d'we do?"

"This," was his reply, and he hefted her up into his arms. "Straight to a doctor with you."

"But I—"

"None of that. We'll get you fixed up, then it's off to meet up with Jack. Though, knowing him, he'll probably have run off by then."

"Come looking for us, anyway," she agreed. But their telepathic conversation was still fresh in her mind, and she reached out for his thoughts with her own, making a connection as strong as when he'd been standing beside her, and sent a message to him telling him they'd be a little late.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Alreighty then. What seems to be the problem?" She could tell from the tone of his voice he was a kindly old Irishman, who sincerely only wished to help whoever came his way. She wished there were more doctors as warm-hearted as this back home.

"A bit of glass, Doctor," Norrington answered, setting Amy gently on the soft mattress. "I'll have a word with Governor Swann concerning Port Royal's sanitation."

"Oh that you will, Commodore. Now then, child, this will hurt a bit, so here, we'll put this between your teeth ta bite do'n on," said the elderly man, holding out a bit of leather.

"Are you kidding me? I ain't puttin' that in _my_ mouth!"

"Oh, 'tis perfectly clean, dearie."

"Oh yeah? What's your method of sanitation?"

"A good boilin' in water, milady," the doctor answered patiently.

"And it doesn't warp? A likely story!" Yeah, it was a hobby of hers to be difficult just cuz she felt like it. Very much fun.

"Dried immediately over a hot fire, lady." Ames blinked. This guy was made to do this stuff. Doctors from her day would only have gotten annoyed at her. With a slight smile, she agreed, taking the offered leather and placing it between her teeth as instructed. The doctor (Dr. McGrennin, to be sure) returned the smile gently, pulling off his glasses—which were, she noticed, those little glasses with no earpieces that were balanced on the nose. "Alreight then. Ready, dearie?" She nodded nervously, seeing the grabbing tool in his hand. He clasped the tool around the glass, arm ready to pull back...

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Where are they?" Elizabeth asked, shifting impatiently on the couch. She had changed into more formal dress to suit the rank of their visitor.

Jack was pacing the room, and threw up his arms in a visual claim to a lack of knowledge on the subject. _She said they'd be a bit late, but I can't imagine what could be taking them _this_ long,_ he whinnied, though fully aware that they couldn't understand any of it. Moments later, though, there was a knock at the door, and Will opened it to reveal the girl, who hobbled in with hardly any balance to speak of, or so it seemed. _What's wrong, luv?_ Jack asked, before noticing the bandaging around her lower leg and foot, and the crutch she was leaning on. James followed her in, carrying a brand new pair of boots, made specifically for her feet.

The Turners and pirate hurried over to her. She brushed off their questions answering only "I have now learned the importance of footwear," with a comically solemn expression. "I'll be in the study if you need me," she added over her shoulder, hobbling off toward the expansive library contained within the governor's study.

"Just remember Father will be back at dusk," Elizabeth called after her. "The last thing he wants is to find a stranger whom he would likely consider unwanted in his study."

"Aye," was the lass's distant response, echoing quietly down the hall.

The three watched her go before turning back toward James, who was looking a bit uneasy at the moment. "She stepped on a bit of glass in the street. I took her to Dr. McGrennin, then to a shoemaker's to get her something a bit more protective than bare feet," he explained.

...Meanwhile, while Norrington and the Turners conversed (though not without Jack's input as well, of course!), Ames sat at the desk in the study, sunlight filtering in warmly through the window, examining the piece of glass that had been pried from her foot. It was clean, now, and she could examine it closely. It was in a sort of triangular shape, with sharp, curving edges and serrated vertices, about an inch or three quarters of an inch along each edge. In no place did it lie flat, and she reasoned it must've come from a bottle of some sort or other. She held it up to catch the light, and examined it further. She likes to look at things, observe things. Many a time without even really seeing it. As now, she no longer saw the glare of sun on the glass, but rather a window to a fantasy world as she let her imagination take over. It was a world she visited often in her mind, and what she saw each time seemed to grow worse and worse. She now yet again glimpsed the destruction man was causing—hunting the centaurs for food and slaves, killing off werewolves because they were considered threats to the centaur populations as well as lesser beings than man, despite that they were half human, which to them served no purpose in living. The eagles, hippogriffs, flying horses and griffons were hunted for sport, and their numbers dwindled. Merpeople, lorolays (sirens), and hippocampi, along with other water dwellers like otter, dolphin, etc, suffered from the poison man continued to dump into the waters. Forest nymphs, pixies, fairies and sprites suffered terribly as their woods were destroyed for man's gain. When one looked at it like that, it was much easier to see what man was really doing to the world she had lived in—the world she was actually _hoping_ to return to. The world that she hoped to help turn around, make better, so that wildlife would thrive and all could live in harmony, rather than tumultuous chaos and destruction of one another.

Ames blinked and shook her head, as she did on occasion, to clear away the images her imagination had produced, trying irritatedly to clear her head. Already, the sky was growing a golden color, and she knew her time in here was nearly up. So much for reading... Instead, she decided to return to the parlor, hobbling over to Jack to converse mentally, though he did every once in a while emit some equine sound, mostly without realizing it. After a while, though, as telepathy was actually quite draining, they decided to move back into speech. _The thing is, nobody knows anything about this fruit. It's surrounded by myth and legend more than I am._

"That's saying a lot." They thought for a moment. "Wonder if that guy was playing something..." she thought aloud to herself.

Jack snapped to attention. _Guy? What guy?_

"There was this guy...he just popped up out of the water like a buoy and directed my attention to the _Eohippus_ plant. I asked him if it was safe to eat, and all he said was that my captain might know."

James and the Turners, overhearing, strode over to see what was happening. _This man. Was he dark brown in the hair? Looked to be late in the teens or early in his twenties? _Ames nodded. Jack cursed. _He knew what would happen. They warned me of the rumors and I didn't listen. It's just like with the curse, only not quite so bad._

"Rumors?"

_Aye. Tales tell of water demons in and around that basic area. But they aren't supposed to pull their trickery unless provoked. _

"Well maybe you did something to anger him."

_Perhaps. But that means we must return immediately to find out what I've done, and have him tell us how all this can be undone._

"Miss Amy," James said in that moment of silence that followed. "What exactly are you two...talking...about?" Todd quickly explained.

She finished in record time, and the five were in a thoughtful silence, when a frantic knocking pounded at the door. Will opened it to find Murtogg and Mullroy standing there, panting for breath. "We were told the Commodore was seen coming here," Mullroy explained hastily. Will stepped aside for them to see Norrington, who stepped forward to hear what they had to say. "Sir, the _Black Pearl_ was seen approaching on the horizon." Hidden in the shadows with Amy, Jack smiled. He knew they'd come back for him.

"Sir, what's your plan of action?"

"Hold fire. Do not attack them—let them dock..._if_ they dock, that is."

"Sir?"

"Those were orders, soldiers," the Commodore stated calmly, firmly. "Go on." The soldiers nodded, looking uncertainly at each other before hastily departing. As soon as they were gone, James nodded to the other four, picking up the lass's wooden crutch from where it leaned against the wall, as well as the boots, and offering them to her so they could depart.

Elizabeth and Will exchanged a glance, before the former took a half-step forward. "We won't be going with you." Jack fixed them both with a confused stare, making sure to exaggerate his outward emotions so they understood. "Someone needs to cover up James' tracks, and yours too, Amy: I think people around town have noticed you, and have begun to wonder." Jack nodded, satisfied with the explanation.

The three headed for the door, Ames leaning on Jack a moment as she carefully slipped the boots on. She wobbled in their stiffness, and was for once glad she had a crutch that needed using. _Don't worry, lass, that kind of boot breaks in nice and fast,_ Jack assured her as she tried to find her balance. Finally, with a nod to the Turners, they left, hurrying through the streets, Jack being sneaky in his own way, to make a quick visit to the Commodore's house so as he could pick up anything of his mother's which he thought he might need. As he searched through an old desk, Todd and Debbie gazed out a window.

"They're going for that cove they left us in, aren't they?" Jack nodded. "That's about three miles out. How far away are they?" A nicker. "...Two leagues!"

"Three miles away?" James looked up, then glanced at her foot. "No. With you in your current state, it would be best if you didn't walk for that long or far."

"Jack can give me a ride. That'll be quicker."

"Pardon me, but I don't think I can keep up with a horse."

Jack whinnied softly. "He reckons he can hold us both."

James straightened up, looking surprised. "I—ah, I can't ride, miss."

"Oh." She pointedly gazed at an empty cart across the street. Then back at him, a suggestive spark in her eye and a sly grin creasing her face.

"No, you're not thinking of—" Her smile widened. "Amy, as a firm upholder of the law, it is my job to—" She blinked, then turned to the puppy-dog pout for support. James couldn't take it. Neither could her mum, nor a few of her close friends. And, in spite of himself, neither could the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow –cough cough–Horse–cough cough–

"You don't have to take part in it you know. Just...lose the wig and uniform." He blinked at her, surprised by the sudden change of subject. She did that often, as he would eventually learn. "Well you can't expect to go aboard a pirate ship dressed as an esteemed Commodore, can you? I mean honestly! It's common sense, mate!"

He heaved a sigh, nodding his agreement. Never before had he met a woman as young as this who would so boldly take charge, over even himself included. Even his mum hadn't been quite like this. But then again, she had been older, and perhaps knew the place women held a bit better than this lass did now.

Minutes later, after warning his servants and such that he'd be away for a while, the three wove through the brush. Jack was once again a horse, now. Once in the right position, Ames guided Jack toward the cart, James hidden within the jungle that bordered this part of town,and looked around to make sure no one was watching. Following Jack's murmured instructions, she quickly hitched him up in the harness.

An old Tibetan merchant stepped out of a nearby building just in time to see Jack take off toward the trees, Ames on his back, and the contents of the cart spilling into the street. It took him until after both horse and cart had disappeared into the shadowed depths of the jungle that he fully realized that his heads were rolling down the road. "MY CABBAGES!"

* * *

XDD Sorry, had to put the cabbage man from Avatar in there. He's just a must have for that kind of scene. Lightens the mood and oh forget it, I just thought it was funny. There goes my humor, wasted again since I always crash and burn and am never actually funny to anyone but me mum (who I had laughing to tears this afternoon). Lol, now REVIEW! 


	11. Casting Off

Whew, meh finally updated! Oy! My apologies, mates, I know the wait was long. But I had one of the _worst_ cases of writer's block I have ever had. It was painful, honest. Anywho, time for reviews:

**Authoressinhiding:** That sounds really cool! Danke for da reviewz!

**Little Miss Sparrow:** Important?...Hummm...that gives me an idea. And for that you get a cookie. But no Avatar? Ye don't know what yer missin' mate! And about Norrikens? Of course it's odd! That's, like, this whole story, eh!

**marauder4ever:** Of course cabbages. Glad _somebody_ found that funny. Lol, thanks for the review.

**Mrs Capt Jack Sparrows:** Hee hee: Commodore Pirate...Can't wait to write that chapter...XDD

**pirateobsessed:** Of course triangles are evil. We're doing trig in geometry. And I'm thinking the whole time: when the heck am I ever gonna use this in real life? I mean, naturalists and authors don't use trigonometry in their professions!

**Jess is a pirate: **Yes I had to put the bit about the glass in. Geeze. It really freaks you out that much? Well in that case...jaggedglassprotrudingfromhischestandthebloodandthegutsandthegore! CABBAGES! -sniffcry- PSSA week is done, and spring break is almost ovah. Mate, we should so get all of Passover off. That's downright insensitive if you ask me, that we get off for Christian holidays, but not Passover or Chanukah or anything. Seriously.

**RespectTheSporks:** Yeah, I was starting to wonder where you had disappeared to...Thanks for the review!

**obbits14:** o.0 incredibly stupid? James? ...-eyes glint evilly- Yet another wonderful idea by a reviewer: here's your cookie.

Thanks for all the reviews, mates! I feel loved! Oh, and about the Author's Note on the last chapter, I left a bit out. See, I wasn't thinking 'awkward' about her sister being his mum. I was actually going to put Ames as his mother, and _that's_ when I was thinking -**AWKWARD!**-

**Disclaimer: Meh no own anythin', so no suing! ;.;**

**Chapter Eleven: Casting Off**

Jack raced into the jungle, Ames secure on his back, cart following obediently. James appeared beside them, hopping into the cart as it sped past. "We good?" the girl called over her shoulder. He nodded. "Okay cool. Steady as she goes, Captain."

The stallion whinnied a response and kicked up his heels, himself being small enough that there was room enough between he and the cart to do so, picking up the pace just a bit. The lass threw back her head and whooped as she felt the wind flow through her tangled hair. For some reason or other, James found himself smiling at their joy. It was a happiness that baffled him, but he decided to ignore this unfamiliar feeling of uncertainty and instead just revel in said happiness. It seemed only a few minutes later ((though it was really more like twenty)) that they neared Jack's secret cove. He slowed to a stop, and the girl gingerly shimmied down his back to land in the cart beside James. "What is it? We're nowhere near the ocean—how can they possibly see us?"

"We're not there yet, Commodore. We just needed to take care of something first before we could go."

"And that would be...?"

"Just needed to do this." She tied a spare bandana (Will _had_ had a few after all!) around his head, covering his eyes. "Can't be givin' away the bearings of this cove nor that of Jack's island to the pirate scourge of the Caribbean now can we?" Out of respect and a good bit of common sense, he put up no fight.

They finally made it to the beach. Jack, unhitched, plodded steadily through the sand, and Ames hobbled after him, leading the son of her clone. The _Pearl_ waited for them. As it were, there was a pier not far off where she was anchored, and they merely strode down the dock to meet the pirates gathering together to set up watches and the like to search for them. Ames and James paused while Jack, still a horse, strode up the gangplank with deliberate, almost proud steps. As soon as he was fully aboard the vessel, they followed. "Miss Amy!" cried Gibbs, coming over to jubilantly lift her into the air: he'd become quite fond of the lass. Right reminded him of his niece she did. "Yer back—and with a few friends I see," he said, setting her down--gently upon seeing her crutch--and scrutinizing the blindfolded figure and tall, cocky-looking stallion. "But, uh...where be Capn' Jack, eh?"

"Uhm...that is Jack, Mr. Gibbs," she replied uneasily with a gesture to the dark equine. "Er–Jack?"

_Luv, I'm comfortable enough as it is. And I need me a rest—all this changing is tiring, you see?_

"Yah, well if you don't want your crew to leave without you on account of the lack of need for a horse, you'd best change back."

_We'll see about that._ Jack moved closer to the old salt, looking more like a playful animal in his movements than like the pirate he'd looked like not three minutes and twelve seconds ago, until he was nearly eye to eye with his pal, one foreleg raised curiously, ears straining as far forward as they could go.

Gibbs gave the creature a good hard look in the eyes, and was surprised when it bested him at a glaring contest. Well, perhaps not glaring, but there was something in his gaze that was clever and knowing, while at the same time commanding. "Aye, that be Jack all right."

Jack snorted. _As if you expected anyone else!_

"And who be this?" Joshamee nodded to the blindfolded Commodore, though lacking the hat, any trace of his uniform, and for the moment, his title.

"This? This is Jim Hawkins. He volunteered to try to help us get Jack back to normal," she answered, thinking quickly and thanking her lucky stars she'd been thinking about Muppet Treasure Island earlier that morning.

"An' 'e's blindfolded to keep the location of our island under wraps, eh?" She nodded. "Yer a right smart lass ye are."

"Of course!" She nodded to Jack again. "Seriously, man. Now would be as good a time as any. You know, _before_ Ana decides to throw you overboard!" With a surprised snort, Jack was human almost immediately, succumbing to the constant thread of thoughts of his human self she'd been sending throughout the conversation.

Gibbs stumbled a few shocked steps backward, nearly toppling over. "Jack! Mother's love, ye could warn a man!" yelled he, clutching his heart.

The rest of the crew had seen, and a shocked murmur ran among them, which the captain silenced with a grunt. "Good ta have ye back, Jack," Anamaria approached. Jack glared at her, unable to correct her with his proper title of 'Captain.' "Ye'll be happy ta know the raid was a success."

"Glad t' know it went well," Amy spoke for him. He lay an arm in thanks around her shoulders.

Ana looked from one to the other, surprised, then shook her head, blinking and ignoring whatever thoughts she had been thinking. "So, what's yer plan, Jack? What're yer orders?"

Jack and his young charge exchanged glances, before the girl belted out: "Back to the island!" in the best 'captainy'...voice she could muster. The crew chuckled. She couldn't be serious...? "Come on then. **Weigh anchor! On deck, you scabbrous dogs! Man the braces! Cast off! Look alive, people!"** The crew jumped to attention. "Eyes in the ship!" ((Which means: stop daydreaming and lend a hand!)) The men—and woman—jumped to work. "Come on Mr. Hawkins, let's get you to a cabin, eh? Jack, will you be all right without me for a few minutes?"

_No orders yet to be given, love. You did just fine. And you'll be right near mute in the morning, I'll tell ye,_ Jack neighed. She nodded and led James belowdecks to the spare cabin. No matter how different he looked without his uniform and wig, there was still always the threat of his recognition, especially from Mr. Gibbs, thus he could not stay in the forecastle. The cabin, though, happened to be located right next to that of Ana, and she was likely to be the most suspicious of them all.

Once inside, and with the door securely closed behind them, she undid his blindfold and he set down his belongings, quickly surveying the room. "I'll have someone fetch a second hammock some time this evening."

"Another hammock? Somehow I don't think I'll be needing two, Amy."

"O'course not! This was my cabin to begin with, and for all I can tell, either we'll be sharing it or I'll be moving in with Anamaria."

"Ah. Well then in that case I guess I should in fact be thanking you for being courteous enough to share your quarters."

Ames smiled wryly. "Then why don't you?"

James grinned back. "All right then: Thank you."

"You're welcome," she bowed with a flourish.

'Hawkins' raised an eyebrow. "You know, you are one of the strangest women I have ever met."

"I know, isn't it great?"

"I am not sure yet. But we've plenty of time to find out."

She bobbed her head. "Cool. Oh yeah, and you might wanna lose that prissy accent, just to be safe. Can't have the crew thinking you high in society now, can we?"

"I suppose not."

"Rumor has it you were born and raised in Scotland." He nodded assent. "Then h'w aboot ye tree gooin' back ta that accent, eh?" she tried futilely to mimic the accent.

"Sounds like a plan. Out of curiosity, how often do you use an Irish accent?"

"Why, was that it just now?" James nodded and she ducked her head with a light blush. "...Oops..."

He grinned and stooped down to retrieve an old journal from his pack. "Time ter get ta work, don'cha kno'?" He said in the accent when she looked at him questioningly.

She blinked and nodded. "Good idea. I'm going topside for a bit, I'll be back later, k?" She walked out, leaving him with a slight smile on his face. She poked her head though the companionway's opening to hear a certain bo'sun yelling annoyedly at an even more certain captain.

"Answer me, when I ask ye something, Jack!" Anamaria was yelling at him. He was silent, didn't meet her eyes. In a mixture of confusion, frustration, and perhaps even some measure of fear, she slapped him across the face. Hard. "Why don't you speak, you dog!" Still no answer. She went to slap him again, but he caught her arm with a nicker, all manner of anger or annoyance nonexistent in his expression. She looked at him, confused, brows knitting together. With a barely audible whinny, he shook his head gently and walked away, releasing her arm. "Jack?"

Instead of turning around to face her, he swaggered over to Amy, who had fully emerged. "What, you're just gonna take that—just gonna let her do that?"

_There would be no use doing anything about it, luv. She just doesn't understand is all,_ he sighed. He looked up into the rigging, then behind them to the helm. Cotton was currently manning the _Pearl_, but Ames could easily identify the expression of longing Jack wore.

She rolled her eyes. "Go ahead, I'm not doing anything. You go get reacquainted with your ship." He nodded and strode aft toward the bridge. "Neigh if ya need me."

_Will do darling._ He took his place at the helm, nodding to Cotton who immediately released it and stepped away obediently. The girl sighed as she watched him: however out of place he looked anywhere else, he looked like he was born to be where he now stood: feet braced apart, hands resting lovingly on the helm of his love, eyes gazing out to the horizon. He belonged. It was as simple as that. And she knew that she didn't. She had always favored the woods over the sea, if only by the slightest of increments. And the thoughts of where she belonged, the memories, came flooding into her head. That including the homesickness. She was not one to get homesick, were these under normal circumstances: she would always have some manner of communication, and she knew her family did as well with her as without. But now there was no phone to call them with, no way of letting them know where she was and that she was all right. No way of seeing how they were coping with her absence in their world. As far as things went, she probably no longer technically existed in relation to her own world. Her home. She realized she had always taken her family, her world, everything she knew and loved, for granted, and that something could happen to take them all away. But just as she felt the tears stinging the backs of her eyes, she blinked and took a deep breath, knowing full well that it was the chance that she wouldn't ever get home. And also knowing that there was a chance that she would. Fortunately, it was that hope of some day returning to her home and her life which drove her on. Instead, she limped to the bulwarks and watched the horizon, watched the dolphins swimming alongside the hull.

Jack couldn't help but smirk to himself as he relaxed in the confines of her mind, listening to her thoughts. Truly it couldn't be so bad having her here? He shrugged. They'd just have to wait and see. Both their thoughts shifted to the Commodore. Jack';s smirk widened. He couldn't wait to see how that prat would react to life as a pirate...

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See, it was pretty much just another transitional chapter. Ick, I know itwas boring. Oh well, leave a review. Will try to update sooner...depending on how motivated I am.


	12. Commodore Pirate

Hi! Sorry that took so long. but at least I updated! Now time for review praise:

**Authoressinhiding:** Yes, but you've already done so amy times since then. Hey, back off on the mooing. That's my thing, mate.

**Little Miss Sparrow:** Glad to know I can maketh thee laugh! Yes, writer's block is so painful! Glad you liked the virtual cookie, too. Lol.

**Jess is a pirate:** You wouldn't stop talking and let me update! Oh well, it's up now. Yeah, only three days off should be illegal.

**obbits14: **Mate, you'll just have to wait and see. XD -smirk-

**marauder4ever:** Thankee! Here's yer update.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. I'm just borrowing everything. I promise to return them each in at least three pieces...

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**Jim Hawkins: Pirate and Commodore of His Majesty's Fleet ...What's wrong with this picture?...**

He'd looked through most everything he'd brought with him during the first day and night of the voyage. The only thing really left was his mother's precious diary, which had been left untouched for decades and decades. It felt to him like he would betray her privacy and her respect if he even so much as blindly lifted the cover. Indeed, it was as strange a book as he had ever seen. It was not bound or covered with leather, but seemed instead to be so of some light wood, or perhaps a heavy parchment, foreign to his eyes. But in the end, as he opened that forbidden book, he found he could not close it again. Reading of his mother's adventures, from her first memories of labs and scientists, to her escape from there and the memories she had of things that had never happened to her--most of which he believed were from the girl who dozed across the very same cabin from him--and all she had experienced before somehow appearing in another world: he for once felt like he really knew her as a person, rather than a cherished memory. However, when it came to those entries of her travels to another world, she had been very vague about how she got there. There were no hints nor inklings. Only that the 'secret was engraved in the heart.' And this perplexed him greatly, considering how exactly Amy was going to find her way, if they didn't know just what that 'way' was?

However, being cooped up in that cabin, even with his mother's diary to entertain himself, was not all it was cracked up to be. A spot of fresh air was what he needed. Just to be topside, with the sun high in the sky and the sea stretching out forever in all directions, the spray of the sea cooling against his skin, and the breath of the wind surrounding him. That was what drew him to the sea. "Sure, so long as you don't look for any signs of where we're headed," Amy replied when she heard this.

"Are you sure Jack won't mind? It is his ship after all."

"Glad to see you respect that, James. But I'm as much in charge as Jack is right now, myself currently being the one who commands this vessel as it were. Just...watch your back." When the Commodore glanced over his shoulder, she added, "It means be on your guard. Aiyaiai!" she groaned as she walked out, "Seventeenth century my foot!" before pausing and adding, "But it's not Jack I would be worried about—rather, the rest of the crew, savvy?" and finally departing.

James blinked. Lord was she a strange find! Gazing out the open passageway, he shook his head as if to clear it, marked the page he was currently on in his mum's diary, placing it under his pillow, and walked out behind her. Poking his head through the hatch, the sunlight nearly blinded him, and it took his eyes a moment to adjust before he could fully emerge on deck. The sun shone bright in a sky as clear as the water and just as blue. Gentle breezes rustled in the billowing black sails. The _Pearl_ pitched and rolled gently, dipping her prow playfully through the waves every now and again. He had to admit it: he could see at least one reason now why Jack loved his ship so much. She certainly was beautiful. Ropes and boards creaked, sails flapped and whipped, waves crested and broke, or crashed against the hull. The crew worked almost silently, as if they were all listening to the sounds around them—as if listening to the sounds of the _Pearl,_ like she was commanding them. Which, when really thought about, is true: the only thing on a ship that is in command and in complete control is the ship herself.

Norrington stepped across the softly creaking boards to the bulwarks, leaning on his elbows and watching the sea go past, watching the dolphins swimming playfully alongside the hull. They leapt higher and higher, and he stretched his arm out, hand hovering over the water. A dolphin exploded from the sea, nudging his hand with its snout. He smiled to himself and pulled his arm back. He hadn't done that since he was a child.

_Enjoying yerself, mate?_ Jack nickered, coming up beside him and assuming a similar stance against the rail.

"Yes, I suppose I am," James replied, understanding the pirate's tone enough to have some vague idea of what he was saying. Jack chuckled quietly to himself and watched the finned mammals as well.

_Always did enjoy their company._ As it were, they stood side by side, watching and admiring the sea creatures and the sea herself, through two and a half bells (hour and a quarter, about), willing to just put aside their differences and their rivalries and find a common ground with one another. At least...for the moment, anyway...

Ames paused in her work—Gibbs had been trying to teach her how to tie knots efficiently—and looked up to see them. She smiled to herself. _I knew they'd get along somehow or other..._she thought before getting back to work.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Time flew past the _Pearl_ as she sailed toward her destination. James had read through his mother's diary almost twice before they got there (judging by how fast a reader he was, though, that seems pretty slow for him).

However, time did not seem to pass by quickly enough for said Commodore. Hanging around pirate scallywags for three days and counting had made him slightly irritable, and extremely impatient to reach their destination, asking himself repeatedly why he ever agreed to coming along. Anamaria, being the perceptive woman she was, picked up immediately that there was something suspiciously familiar about the _Pearl's_ newest passenger. By the second day, she had taken to discreetly following him and trying to listen in on conversations and go through his stuff. Jack, however, picked up on this, and gave Ames the heads-up to keep things on the down-lo, and to take extra precautions, like only ever calling Norrington James, or by his pseudonym of Jim Hawkins, or locking their door whenever out of the room or asleep.

Now, as it were, Ana was beginning to think that maybe her suspicions had been wrong, and started to lay off on her snooping and digging, at least for a while. "You think she's still listening?" Ames whispered softly in the safety of their cabin—whispering was about all she could do when not giving orders. She was beginning to lose her voice, and she knew she had to work on projecting a bit better, so she had to save her voice for when it was needed.

James shook his head. "You told me Jack told you he hasn't seen her up to anything of the sort since yesterday afternoon."

"Aye," she bobbed her head. "Good point."

"Tell me...what's it like, in comparison to this?"

"Huh?"

"Your world."

"Oh. For a spell, I could've said it was cleaner. But now, I fear it is as filthy as or worse than a place like Tortuga in most cities and large towns. The air around the cities is filled with smog and smoke, and the water is constantly polluted with sewage and litter, and the ground—everywhere you go where there're human inhabitants, there's litter, trash, waste. A lot of animals have gone extinct, and some are on the verge of becoming so as it is. The world is vastly overpopulated, and the people are destroying it, bit by bit, despite all the conservation efforts to make things better. In some ways, it's horrible. There's still murder and rape and crime. Heck, prolly more than now, even with our charming pirates all over. But in other ways... there are forests and woodlands that still stand, if only for now, as well as numerous other habitats and environments. And the wildlife and plantlife that you_ can_ see is beautiful. There are peaceful places, and places untouched by man, however rare they may be." She continued on, trying to give a basic picture based on what she knew, though leaving out all the scientific stuff, knowing most of it wouldn't make any sense to him. He sat and listened, a hard, contemplating look on his face. No wonder his mother had chosen another world over her own. Even with everything positive that was there—all these inventions and conveniences—what they were used for, and what was happening because of them overshadowed all good points to the extremities. Not cool, Boo-boo.

Just then, there were a knock at the door. Ames hastily ended their conversation and took up her usual disguised accent which she had to use since Jack hadn't told any of the crew the truth about her. "Come in, the door's open, mate!" she called. The door to the cabin creaked open and Anamaria stepped in. "What can I do fer ye, Ana?"

"I have a question."

"'I have an answer,'" the lass quoted her ninth grade Biology teacher.

"I thought ye might. What's been goin' on with Jack?"

"...How do ye mean?" Ames asked uneasily. She didn't want the crew to start thinking Jack was meddling with witchcraft.

"I mean the sounds he's been making. He'll make those noises, but he won't speak to any of us. Only to you and apparently Mista Jim," she gestured to Norrington.

"No, he talks to everyone. I'm just the only person who can understand anything he's sayin'. And Jim here is extremely perceptive, and has the ability to pick out meanin' from what he understands...for instance tone, or facial expressions. In't that right Jim ol' buddy ol' pal?"

James blinked before nodding. "An old trick I learnt from me mum wey back when I were a boy. Comes in handy ev'ry n'w and ag'in."

Ames nodded, turning back to Ana. "Why d'ye ask?"

"Well he's been starting to act a bit strangely as of late—even for him. He's makin' those sounds an' noises and the like even more than before. He was so quiet a few days ago, and now it's like he's talking to himself."

Ames and James exchanged concerned expressions before rushing topside. They found Jack pacing along the bulwarks, pausing in his stride every few steps to look out anxiously at the horizon, as if looking for something. Watching. Upon closer approach, the lass caught some of what he was murmuring. _Two legs...four...no, no...paws?...Itch...something there...out..._

"Jack? What's wrong?"

He didn't look up. _Out there...something out there...not good...four legs...something coming..._

"What is it? What's he saying?" asked an actually concerned James.

"I don't know...I think there's something he's sensing that's not a good thing...but I can't make heads or tails of what he's really saying—it's just my guess."

"Would he be able to communicate whatever it is to you if he were," he lowered his voice so that only she could hear, "a horse?"

She shrugged. "Maybe." She stepped closer and put a hand on Jack's arm as he paused near her. "Jack?" He whirled to face her, eyes widening. An apprehensive snort escaped his nose. "Are you alright?" He looked back to the horizon, a stressed, confused expression on his face. He needed to be a horse right now. Why, she had no idea, she just knew. But he wasn't thinking 'horse' at the moment. He was too absorbed in whatever it was that had him tense. He had entered her thoughts plenty of times, she remembered. She could probably do the same. Reaching out for some sort of connection, she firmly grasped the confusion in his mind and placed in its midst a picture of himself as a horse. Moments later, and strong breeze swept over the _Pearl_, and she doubled her speed for a while. Ames blinked away the dust that had been blown in her eyes and saw Jack-the-horse standing in front of her.

He shook his matted mane and looked at her confusedly. _...Ames?_

"Jack...what's going on?"

_...I ...I don't know...I can't explain it. There's something out there...something big, luv. Huge. There's...this tingling sensation in me ears. And I just feel anxious, like a huge storm is about to break–_

"That's it! There must be a storm approaching." Jack flicked an ear curiously. "Well many animals can pick up on weather phenomena and such. Ana," she called. The female pirate strode over. "Have there been any signs of a storm lately?"

Ana shook her head. "No, none," she replied, regarding the stallion who was listening in on their conversation.

"What color was the sunrise?"

"A bright orange. Nothing too special. An orange sunrise is nothing to worry about."

"Well sometimes the sunrise is wrong. Jack, in what direction do you think it is?" Jack pointed with his snout toward the horizon, about six points off the port bow. "Is it big?"

_I don't know, darling, I'm still new at this._

"Good point. Feels big?" Jack bobbed his head and pawed once at the deck. "We'll have to chart a course around it," she notified a very confused-looking Anamaria.

"'T isn't too much in th' wey," James added, looking off a compass. He had noted their general direction of travel by sun's position each day, and now knew where they were sailing...just not how to get back. Yet. "Shouldn't take too lon' t' goo ar'und it."

Ana, recognizing the compass as her own, swiped it from his hands and threatened to slap him across the face for stealing it. He only ducked his head and hid a grin. "Bloody men...ye'd make a pretty good pirate, you know."

"So I've been told." Ames raised an eyebrow at him and he made an 'I'll-tell-you-later' face.

"But we don't even know it's really out there. I mean it's just an animal, how can it tell there's a storm out there?"

"Well, for one, animals are highly perceptive and can pick up on a lot of things we can't, and two he's Captain Jack Sparrow! Just an animal? _Just?_ Now what a horrible candle-snuffingword; Just..."

Jack had a feeling, though, that he needed to get a point across with dear Anamaria. He stamped his hoof and whinnied heartily. Ames looked at him askance, then to James. "Mr. Hawkins, would you be so kind as to guide our dear ship through this peril that has come upon us?"

James started, and gaped at Jack before regaining his composure. He held out a hand like one would to wave half-heartedly at someone. "D'ye trust me with 'er, Jack?" With a warm, low nicker, Jack nudged his nose into the Commodore's palm. Taking it as a form of acceptance, which it was, a ghost of a smile dusted his features. "All reight...let us be prop'rly on our wey then." And with that, he strode to the helm and took it into his grasp, immediately setting a new course in his head on how to journey around this storm and still reach a destination that was invisible to him. Hours later, the crew soon understood why their guest was steering Jack's belovéd ship. They felt the crackling in the air and the tension that was often there when a storm is about to break. With dark clouds on the horizon and still a good distance away, now about two points off the port stern, they had passed it by. Problem avoided. At least that one. Then Ana stormed onto the deck, straight up to the bridge, and punched James so hard in the jaw he was sent reeling backward, seeking a hold on the bulwarks for balance.

"What the bloody hell was that for!" Ames raged, rushing up the steps to join them.

Ana glared at her. "I'll tell ye what." She turned to the crew—who had gathered once again at the commotion—and answered: "We have aboard this ship an imposter! This man," she mointed accusingly at James, "is no 'Jim Hawkins'." She held up a book and James' eyes widened, recognizing it as his mother's. "This, men, is the pirate scourge of the Caribbean. Commodore Norrington is among us!"

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o.0;; That can't be good...well, leave a review and I'll update, kupos! I was gonna say something else here, but now I've gone and forgotten. Oh well. Just leave a review. Oh wait, I remember now! Go to this site (but replace the word 'dot' with a period cuz ffdotnet messes up urls): http/wwwdotohjohnnydotnet/potc2/potc2208dotjpg Tell me: Who is that? Any guesses? You'll never guess. Care to prove me wrong? Tell me in your reviews, savvy? See yeh next chapter! 


	13. A Bit of Good Luck

**My sincerest apologies for not updating sooner. I had a horrid block, and was in Chicago this past week on a mission trip with my church. However, as soon as I got there, my block cleared. Thank the Lord I had my journal with me; I wrote most of the chapter while I was there. As well as a poem, which is becoming a rarer and rarer occurrence for me.**

**So many reviews! You guys rock and get rum and cookies! XD**

**obbits14: You are correct! That would be Norrington. Isn't he smexy? Then again, he always was...though not NEARLY as much as Jack. And Yes, in one of the sequels I have planned, Jack will go to Amy's world, but I don't think there will be any duels with Geoffrey Rush. Nor Barbossa for that matter.**

**Bluekrystal114: Yay, you finally read it! Hah, keep reading, mate. It gets better, I hope... yes, be a good girl and listen to the voices in your head!**

**RespectTheSporks: Gold, yes. Rum: even more. Here's your update. Fork 'em over.**

**dangerous addiction: yay, a new reviewer! Sorry, but I have a strict no-Jack-romance policy, especially not with a girl who's less than half his age. I hope I haven't disappointed you, and if I have, you have my sincerest apologies. Any affections displayed between them were more of the type between a father or uncle and daughter or niece, savvy? And aye, I agree: Jack IS TOTALLY sexy. XD**

**Jess is a pirate: So has the phantom stopped throwing toasters at you yet? Yes, no? I can't believe how long it's taken for me to update this!**

**Kei-Ookami.kara.mori: Thanks much for the review! Sorry, 'soon' and 'update' do not appear in the same sentence with me. Chronic writer's block. You know.**

**scarlet-rebELLE: Thanks for such the lovely review!**

**I'm-in-love-wit-CJS: Here's the update! Thanks for the review!**

**pirateobsessed: You are correct! And, innit ironic? You're the first one to get that. Ha, no ice cream on his head there. He's a penniless drunk at one point. I'm sure you'll be jumping for joy...**

**NEON.lights: Why thank ye for such the lovely review! Elfees'ni, eh. Yes, I DO adore my reviewers. Never thought of them as fans before...interesting...anywho, I do sincerely apologize for the long wait between updates, but my writer's block is chronic. I'm sure I'll be updating a little more frequently now that it's summer, but I fear no promises can be made.**

**Authoressinhiding: You only guessed right because I told you. The only reason she 'outwitted' him was because they—and that includes Amy—made a stupid mistake and forgot to lock their cabin door. That is all, savvy?**

**Little Miss Sparrow: You seem to have an Oddparents fetish. Glad to know someone got that though. Sadly, no that is not Jack's father. If so, he looks REALLY young for his age. ...and uber smexy, but we won't get into that.**

**Mates, I must admit I have kept a tidbit of truth from you all. See, this is a Spirit/PotC crossover...or as close to one as I could come. It was the first idea I had for a fic, and I stuck with it. That's why all the stuff when he's a horse is so sappy. The whole Spirit thing, savvy?**

**I also fear that many of the original characters are severely out of character, if not now then when the sequel comes out. My apologies, and I hope you like it just the same.**

**Anything you recognize does not belong to me. _I_ don't even belong to me!**

**MA'LIKI-LIKI!**

**Chapter Thirteen: A Bit of Good Fortune**

At this, many of the crew cried out in rage and fury.

"Yes, well he's damn well been here before," James fumed, massaging his jaw.

"Aye not that was when he was actually out of the Navy, _not_ while he was back commanding it on a grant of clemency," Ana specified.

"You act like you want your captain to stay like this," James gestured toward the horse. As if on cue, Jack transformed back into a human, expression unconcerned.

"And you act like you care!" Ana spat at his feet, as did the crew to the deck. Jack cringed. Once he got his voice back, these sailors would think they were _born _swabbing the deckboards.

"Not about Jack's condition, no. about helping Miss Amy, I care a very good deal."

Ana narrowed her eyes, while she found the girl annoying and irritating to no end, she did not want to see her get hurt. "And why would you care so much?"

James' expression suddenly softened, stance relaxing a bit. "Because," he replied. "She is my only family. And I will do whatever it takes to help her when she needs me. And if that means going aboard a pirate ship and helping one of life's greatest annoyances—" Jack snorted indignantly "—then so be it. I made a promise to her, and it is one that I do _not_ intend to break."

"That's m'boy," Ames whispered proudly to herself, blinking away tears at his loyalty.

Ana blinked, shocked and caught completely off-guard at such unexpected words. It was then that Jack chose to approach. _Ana, please—he's only here for a very limited time, and Ames has assured me he will not know th' coordinates nor location of our safe haven._

The African regarded the captain, a thoughtful expression coming on. She made a few quick hand signs, and Jack gaped, surprised, before quickly signing back. She chuckled. "Of course I understand sign language, cap'n! Cotton and I have been learning it since his parrot makes no sense to me, as much as it might to you."

Jack signed something in response. "Dang, I knew I shoulda taken those sign language extra curricular activities back in elementary school," Ames complained with a facepalm.

_Me? I'm insane; of course I understand Cotton's parrot,_ Jack translated with a chuckle. He then turned back to Anamaria and proceeded to explain _everything._ ...Well, almost. Everything about Ames, save for her rather curious relation to Norrington. And he was translating it all simultaneously. The girl's eyes widened at this, but just as she opened her mouth to say something (be it in defense or explanation no one will ever know), a hand came down on her shoulder, and she found herself suddenly facing James. She looked at him confusedly, but he only shook his head, leading her away so that they could speak without interrupting the conversation between Ana and Jack.

"I didn't quite catch what it was Jack said," he began gently, "...but I trust he knows what he is doing, at least some of the time. If he feels he can tell Anamaria whatever it was that has bothered you, then...well, don't tell him I said this, but I think his judgement should be trusted." He finished, nodding encouragingly at her, eyebrows rising slightly.

Ames blinked. Never in an eternity had she expected this. She sighed, shoulders sagging just a wee bit. "Fine," she concurred. "Bit I _suuurrre_ hope you're right," she added wryly before her face split into a grin. "But no, I trust him that he knows what he's doing; he's Captain Jack Sparrow! And of _course_ I trust your judgement on his judgement. Dotdotdot, then again, I can mistrust me more than I can mistrust you or him, trust me."

James blinked, then rolled his eyes as he recognized the quote. "You really enjoy talking like Jack, don't you." It was more a statement than a question.

She grinned widely. "What can I say? I was completely obsessed before I came here, and now that I know him...well, I'm not so obsessed with him personally anymore, but I kinda quote a lot of the people I know, so methinks I'll be quoting him even more now than ever, savvy?" Her grin grew cheesy. James raised an eyebrow, amused. And just seeing that expression on his face...that expression which would never have been worn by a man like him. It seemed that now, he was a completely different person than when they had first become acquainted. His composure was so much looser, so much freer—he wasn't some stuck-up snob or a prat or anything. Not such a stiff with a broom handle up his—well, you get the idea. The point it, she was finally seeing through the stark wall James has built up between himself and the world—see his true self. ...And he was finally letting it show through. Ames blinked upon realizing this, after a random meditative pause immediately following their conversation, and suddenly smirked, looking after him. By now, he had wandered some distance away to converse with Gibbs. Out of habit, she reached up with a finger to push her glasses farther up her nose, before freezing, dropping her hand away quickly, and rolling her eyes. That day at the Turners' house had been the last day she'd worn them. She had all but given up on them, they were so ruined by the dust. The good news was...that she saved a bunch of money on car insurance by switching to Geico—I mean, that her eyesight seemed to be improving since then! (Oops, too much T.V. ...)

A whinny sounded back up on the bridge, and she twisted around, tucking a loose strand of ever-growing-lighter brown hair behind her ear to see Jack standing at the helm, eyes gazing out to the horizon. Ames made her way up the steps and came to stand beside him. "Ya need me, mon Capitaine?" she asked gently. He didn't answer. Only continued to stare out over the horizon, as if entranced by it. She knew better than to press him—he would (hopefully) come out of it eventually, and he (almost) always heard what it was that had been said.

After a looong, very long yet not uncomfortable silence, Jack finally answered.; _Luv, it's time you got to know the _Pearl.

"Mate, I've gotten to know her," Ames replied with a grin. "She's the absolute best."

_Aye, she is, but that is not the way I meant in knowing her. Here._ He stepped away from the helm and gestured for her to take it. She only looked back and forth from him to the wheel and back several times, comfuzzled. _It's all right, luv, she won't bite. Sure, she's a bit picky about who captains her, but she seems to have taken a bit of a shine to you,_ Jack whickered. _Go on, take it. I'll be right here the whole time._

Ames blinked in surprise, then smiled, and stepped over to the helm. However, as soon as her back was to him, her expression dropped and became nervous. _Oki_, thought she, _something new. Uhh...knock on wood, let's do this...? _She placed her hands gently on the spokes, and noted how well certain places fit her grip. However, she was sure they fit Jack's hands perfectly.

_Not so tightly, luv_, Jack put in. _She doesn't take kindly to rough handling—note the way Barbossa and his poor excuse for a crew treated her. Now, did you not tell me that one of the lines in this play of yours was 'We're catching up'?_

"Yeah, the _Interceptor_ was catching up to the _Pearl_ on the chase to Isla de Muerta."

_No need to tell me, darling, I was there. Now, loosen your grip a bit. Like as to shake a mate's hand, savvy?_ He watched as her grip relaxed to a much more tolerable state. But the rest of her remained tense. _Luv, you need to relax._

"How can I? I'm not even driving yet! The only things I know how to drive are horses and bicycles."

_Whats?_

"Bicycles. Nevermind. The point it, I don't want anything to happen—and knowing my luck, I'm bound to mess something up, and that would just be so—"

_Close your eyes,_ Jack interrupted.

"Wha?"

_You heard me. Just close your eyes, Amy._ After a moment's hesitation, she did so. _Good. Now, deep breath in—_ she inhaled —_and out_. She obeyed. _Now listen._

"To what?"

_Just listen_, the captain repeated softly.

Ames sighed, eyes still closed, and opened her ears and mind. At first, she heard almost silence. She thought she heard near nothing. Then a strong sea breeze blew against her, sending her hair flying. And with that came the sound or rushing water; the sound of waves caressing the _Pearls_ hull. And there was the rustling of sails and the creaking of ropes and lines, and the groaning of boards and timbers. There were the cries of the wandering albatross and the calls of other sea birds out over the open water. She heard the grunts and voices of the sailors hard at work. Heard the squeaks and whistles of companionable dolphins; the soft splashes they made as they dove in and out of the water and the _Pearl's_ wake. She strained her ears just so, and could have sworn she heard the far-off song of a whale. She smiled to herself.

She inhaled deeply the salty tang of the breeze which tickled the back of her throat. There was the smell of the sweat and the tar and the sea. She smelt a slight fishy smell, and a warm scent mingling strongly with it, which she assumed to be that of the dolphins. There was a very faint tang of blood, and Amy knew Jack was standing near—what with that open wound on his jaw. And with that she discerned his scent: a smell of rum and spice and the sea...and now, of horse. The last of which a scent which she had learned long ago and now knew very well. For a Philadelphia suburban, she took pride in that she could smell the difference between horse and cow. And she could smell the far off smell of rain from the storm.

She exhaled, and felt her body begin to relax. She could feel the _Pearl's_ gentle pitch and slight roll. Felt the timbers solidly beneath her boots, felt the smooth wood of the helm beneath her fingers. There was the pain in her foot, as sharp as ever, but it seemed nearly nonexistent when there was so much else here to focus on.

Ames had always thought of doing something like this, but never had she tried. And now she knew she would do it again many times in the future; it had such a calming effect on her. So calm was she that she was unsurprised when Jack wrapped an arm round her shoulders, setting a hand on the helm. She opened her eyes a crack and glanced up. Sure enough, his eyes were closed, too. She smiled and closed her eyes again.

Not long after, she felt Jack stir not physically, but mentally. _All right, luv, part one complete,_ he thought to her. _You can open your eyes now._

—————

James looked up from his work of knot tying to see the lass standing silently at the helm, Sparrow standing not far off. And there was a silence up on the bridge.

Seemingly acting of her own expertise, the girl deftly adjusted her grip on the helm, and began to steer the ship. He finished his knots and retreated below deck.

—————

She felt Jack in her mind, and at the same time she did not. Through his gentle guidance she steered the _Pearl._ She exhaled deeply and relaxed further. Under her hands, she could feel every movement—every wave, every breeze, every footstep, right down to the keel.

It seemed almost as soon as she acknowledged this that Jack spoke up. _All right, luv, that's enough for today_, he nickered softly, though she could detect a hint of jealousy under his voice.

"Aw, Debbie, I'm sorry. I've just been taking my good ol' time here between you and your _Pearl_, haven't I?"

_Aye, but it's...all right. I just want to get back to her before I 'need' to become a horse again. Savvy?_

"Ah," Ames bobbed her head, looking back out to the horizon. "Well! Then let's not dilly, or dally." —Jack gave her an odd look.— "Besides, I'm sure she prefers you over me." She stepped aside, and he gratefully took the wheel. "All right, you two have fun, now. I'm 'onna go check up on Ellie," she said with a wink and a mischievous grin. Jack rolled his eyes and tried not to laugh. "Bye-bye." She strode away. Well, rather more like hobbled, as she had 'misplaced' her crutch...

Norrington, meanwhile, was busy pouring over his mother's diary. Ames burst in, humming Jack's Irish-sounding theme from the movie. He looked up, listening a moment to the playful tune before she stopped herself. "Someone's in high spirits," he commented.

"Well I just bonded with a ship. Wouldn't that put anybody in such spirits, Ellie?"

"Ellie?" Norrington asked, bemused, brows knitting together.

"Yes. Ellie."

He looked skyward—or rather ceiling-ward, as they were below deck, and groaned. "Please, leave me out of this one."

"Not a chance, boy-o. Debbie thinks it fits you rather well."

Norrington massaged one temple in mock annoyance. "Lord have mercy on my soul," he murmured in good humor. He gently flipped a page in his mother's diary.

"Anything yet?" she asked, gesturing with her eyes to the book.

He shook his head with a sigh. "Nothing new, only that same old riddle: 'The secret lies in the heart.' There must be something. There has to be."

She came over and hugged him. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find the way. Thank you for everything you're doing, James. I really do appreciate it."

He laid a gentle family kiss on the top of her head. "I'll find it. I promise."

She smiled at him, then returned topside. Up the main mast went she, as she was beginning to overcome her slight acrophobia. Music from the Pirates2 soundtrack (which she had listened to constantly on the internet as she awaited the movie) blaring in her head, she found herself moving to the beat and mood. Up up up, swing, jauntily moving, then intense, then playful. Before she knew it, she had made it up to the crow's nest. She conducted her music for a moment, picking up the spyglass to use as a baton before opening it and taking a look. Through the music, she could barely hear the cries of seagulls. Land was close. And as the music reached its climax, she let out a whoop for joyof discovery, and cried: **_"LAND HO!"_**

They had made it.

* * *

Oki, there's your chappie. REVIEW! Please.

Oh, and if'n yer all wondering aboot the new soundtrack online...well, they're really just clips, but here's the link...

soundtrackDOTnetSLASHfeaturesSLASHarticleSLASH?idEQUALS198

the 'equals' is the equal sign. I don't know if ffnet would let me show it. The album comes out on the fourth of july. SQUEE!

MA'LIKI-LIKI!

MeraSparrow


	14. Tricks of the Mind

Hey all! I is back! And it only took me two weeks this time, yayness! Wrote this listening to the second soundtrack, dang is that stuff inspiring! W00t!

And thankee fer all the lovely reviews! Dotdotdot, anybody else notice only exclamation points up there, or am I just weird?...or both?

**Little Miss Sparrow:** Wow, thanks for such a wonderful review! -sniff- It's reviewers like you that help make this fic possible! Yes, 'comfuzzled' is a word that everybody knows where I come from. Glad to see somebody not where I'm from knows something from where I'm from, though!

**pirateobsessed**: You really shouldn't be the one to talk; I've posted two chapters, now, and you haven't been posting any. Lol, though, I know how ya feel. Oh, and you think your summer is busy? Check mine: first two weeks Chicago mission trip wit' me church, next five weeks are strenuous horse camp, then one week with the family to the Poconos, then two and a half weeks of MARCHING BAND CAMP! Savvy? Oy... Oh, and did I mention you were lucky? You get a ship! I get a flute. NO FAIR! Lol.

**Kei-ookami.kara.mori**: Glad to hear that, mate! Here's your update, and thankee for the review!

**Jess is a Pirate:** Yes! We made it all seven months! However, now we hafta wait another TEN months for the third...and however long for the fourth, at that! Oh, and DUCK! There, I just saved you from a toaster, aren't you happeh now?

**Authoressinhiding:** MA'LIKI-LIKI! Happeh for the cellie! Don't worry, I've lost it worse—you'll see in this chapter. The conversation is one I actually had in my head with Jack, and I just _had_ to put it in. Lol. Thanks for the review.

**obbits14:** Thank you for the review! Yes, as a matter of fact, I _am_ Christian. Presbyterian to be exact, savvy?

**Destinysway114:** Ha, you changed your name! Lol, here's the update! Thanks for the reviewz!

**RespectTheSporks:** Didn't you just love DMC? Oh, and here's an update. Does that answer your question?

**Disclaimer:**Is this a dream? No? I thought not. If it were, I'd own PotC.

Here's your next chapter! Enjoy!

**Chapter Fourteen: Tricks of the Mind**

"Yes! Finally here!" Ames twirled around in the sand, the picture of happiness, save that she favored her injured foot.

Jack, human, watched contentedly form where he lounged in the sand, rum in hand. _You're going to make it worse if you keep doing that_, he commented.

She stopped, facing him, seeming to wilt. "Aww." She picked up her foot and shook it angrily with her hands. "Why have you betrayed me!" she wailed. Comically, of course. Jack chuckled slightly, but only to snort uneasily immediately after. This whole thing smelled off. Almost literally. The girl sensed his discomfort and sat down beside him. "No worries, Jack—we're sure to get through this."

He turned his head to look at her. _You know, for a girl who's been tossed out of her world, into a world as unwelcoming as this, having discovered that she's been 'cloned', and that her clone is the mother of one of the Royal Navy's finest commodores, and with no knowledge of how or if she's going to get back, you sure have a lot of hope._

"Of course I have hope. Everybody has hope. And judging from some of your stories, there's never a time when you're without hope, either! It's the only way to keep from giving up, savvy? And giving up is one thing I'm _not_ going to do." They both were silent, staring out to the horizon and beyond. Then, hardly audibly, the girl began to hum. And slowly the humming became a very quiet singing. "Keep your chin in the air / A spring in your step / Keep a-walkin' with flare / A-stridin' with pep / If rain keeps on falling / Let dreams keep on calling / Keep your sunny side up..."

It was a happy little tune, in a style of music Jack did not recognize. He blinked. _You make that up yourself, luv?_

She shrugged. "Some of it, but only because I forgot most of the words. I saw it on televi—uh, I saw it in a play."

_Interesting._

"Uh huh." They fell silent again. Jack mulled over where this pond could possibly be on the island. After all, he knew this island better, even, than some of his crew did. He knew it almost as well as he knew the _Pearl_. How would something like this have escaped his notice? Especially something as large as the girl had described it! It just didn't make any sense. He puzzled over the subject a bit longer, and would have continued to for much longer had the girl not interrupted his thought process. "So do we plan on going any time soon, or are we gonna hang out here for a while?"

Jack's mind was still in turmoil, and he took a long swig of rum in the hopes of clearing his head some. But to no avail. _Let's give it a while. I'm not sure either of us is ready to go just yet._

"Point," she nodded. "Was just putting that out there."

_Aye. Prolly done good by it. I would likely have forgotten. Then again, to forget something is only to remember it again, so if it is remembered again then to be reminded against forgetting is really not necessary. _

Ames' brows came together. "Unless of course you're old and have a failing memory in which case one is constantly forgetting and needs to be reminded, _or_ if you have amnesia," she added.

..._Unless_ _you have a failing memory or if one has amnesia,_ Jack agreed. _But what if the person who has lost his memory regains it only to forget everything that had happened during his time without it?_

"Then of course he would need reminding, unless he were to lose his memory again, in which case he would have to remember what was forgotten before, unless he forgot what it what he was trying to remember."

_So then if he forgot what he was trying to remember, he would need reminding, but the reminding would come from events rather than from a person, wouldn't he?_

"Or she."

_Or she...?_

"Well, no. He or she would need to be reminded by whatever he or she needed to be reminded about, thus being reminded as a result not of forgetting, but of the need to be reminded."

_Ah. But the need to be reminded comes from the forgetting, be it a loss of memory or just plain forgetfulness, would it not?_

"Perhaps." Pause. "Uhh...remind me again what we're talking about?"

Jack grinned his lopsided golden grin. _To be quite honest, I haven't the slightest of an inkling._

"Did you forget, or do you just need reminding?"

_The two are one and the same._

"Nay, I do not believe that."

_Neither do I, but I wanted to see how it was you think, savvy?_

"Uh-huh. Sure. Yeah. Right, uh-huh." The conversation was going absolutely nowhere, but for some reason, Jack's tumultuous thoughts were quickly clearing.

_I think we're ready to go, now._

"Eh? Me too. Let's see if Ellie is ready yet, too." Jack nodded, and she left to fetch her clone's son.

However, the slightly painful journey back to the ship was cut short, fortunately for her injured foot, when she spotted him striding down the beach toward them. "Ready to head out, miss Todd?" he called, hands cupped around his mouth so as she could hear.

She waved him closer. "Just about! Care to join us?" He replied by continuing nearer, rather than turning back toward the _Pearl_.

Jack heaved himself to his feet as the other man joined them. _Right. Now, where's this pond of yours?_

"This way," she answered, leading them both off into the jungle. They wound their way through the dense undergrowth. "Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning," she muttered as the green shadows closed in around them.

Jack rolled his eyes, taking her words as senseless rambling, as usual, before tripping over an upturned root– _Whoa! Oop!_ –and disappearing amid the brush. He began to rise, hoping to catch up to the others before he was missed. However, hidden vines had wound and laced around his limbs, and he once again hit the ground with another _Oof!_

James rolled his eyes and turned back, whilst Amy continued on obliviously (...Teenager). "Here, let me help you," he offered, sounding resigned. He untangled the struggling pirate and steadied him to a standing position. Jack dusted himself off and was about to thank Norrington— however grudgingly—but when he next looked up to do so, the Commodore had disappeared. He looked around, before spotting him, already caught up with the lass. He shrugged to himself. Fine. If the Commodore didn't want thanks, then the good pirate Sparrow would respect his wishes and act like nothing had ever happened. He picked his way back to them, careful of looming vines. As he caught up, he saw the girl conducting some...silent(?) music, her step holding some spring of a beat as she walked. She sensed his curiosity and opened her mind so he could listen.

_That would be your theme music in the sequel,_ she narrated. _I was able to hear and memorize some of the songs ahead of time, to preoccupy myself from the biting impatience of waiting for the second's debut, savvy?_

Jack listened a moment before smirking. _Certainly sounds like me. Not bad, not bad at all, I must admit._ She grinned back at him.

Maybe half an hour later (hey, it would have been half that had her foot not been injured!), they arrived at their destination. Jack stopped in his tracks, mentally whipping away from the 'Two Hornpipes' track, and looked around, confused. _Amy, I thought you said there was a pond here._

"Well yeah. It's right here in front of you, don't you see it?"

Jack and James exchanged confused expressions. "Amy, all I see is a sand-filled clearing," replied Norrington, concern etching his face as he looked at her. Jack whinnied agreement. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes, yes, fine, fine. I just don't get why you don't see it. I've freaking _swam _in it!—More times than I care to count!" She began to pace, tapping her forehead, Pooh-style. "Think-think, think-think, think-think—." There was a rustle and she froze. She whipped her head up, looking around. "Wassat?" Norrington and the pirate both shrugged, before looking in the direction the sound had come from. She followed their gaze, thankful they were both skilled in this sort of thing. "Hey, there he is!"

'_Who?'_ both men asked in unison.

"That guy who told me about the _Eohippus_," she answered, pointing discreetly off in the same direction as the sound's source. She straightened from their little huddle, cheering "Break!" quietly before turning and striding off in that direction. The figure she'd sighted suddenly turned tail and made a run for it. "Oi you! Ho'd up there, I gots a bone ta pick wit' ya, savvy?" No response. She gave chase, ignoring her aching foot. 'The Kraken' played in her head as she went.

_Amy! Wait, don't—_ Jack tried to warn her. But she had already disappeared into the jungle. He and James again exchanged worried expressions. They, too, had seen the figure. And, whatever it was, it wasn't human. They'd seen what could only be described as some demonic being. It was not of their Earth, nor possibly of hers. A moment more of staring at each other, shocked, and they exploded after her.

Meanwhile, the girl was still chasing after what she saw as a lying, cheating scumbag of a man. "Hey, come on, I gotta talk to ya 'bout sommat!" Still nothing. Getting desperate and irritated, she did something she would never do again. She talked urban. "Yo, playa, hold up! I got a problem fo' shizzle wich you an' it ain't gunna get no betta fo' ya unless ya'll turn around an' face me like a man instead'a some spineless pussy, ya heard?" That stopped him in his tracks.

He whirled around. "Can I help you?"

"Fo' rizzeal." She snapped her mouth shut and switched out of 'fo' shizzle' mode. "I mean yeah."

He strode back toward her taking his dear old time, yet never once breaking eye contact. "Now, what is it I can help you with?"

"Dude. You gave me this _Eohippus _fruit, right, and well a friend of mine ate almost the whole thing and now he's, like, part horse and stuff and he can't talk and omigod doubleyoo-tee-eff, mate zomg!"

He smiled wryly. "'E didn't eat the whole thing?"

"Nope. I saved him of that one bite."

"And this has created...some sort of problem?"

"Uh, duh."

"Are ya goin' ta tell me what it is, or are ye jes' gonna stand here?"

"It turned him into a horse, but he can, like, change back into a human and stuff, but he can't talk or anything, and we're linked telepathically and oh forget it, what the heck is going on, God's bread!"

He chuckled. "Good child, it was all in good fun, now. Please allow me to explain." He extended his arms, inviting her closer so that they might more comfortable converse.

But the explanation never came.

X

Jack and James raced after them. There was no telling where the demon had led her, but they were both experienced at this type of thing, and the girl's clumsy steps made tracking easy. They soon happened upon the pair in a small, grassy clearing, hardly large enough for two swashbuckling men to circle. Well, they _thought_ it was the pair. There was one form which they could discern as the girl, and the other seemed fuzzy—like a mist, or a fog. A green-grey, glowing fog, which was whipped up by a sudden breeze so that it surrounded her, engulfed her.

"Amy!"

_Ooohh...bugger._

TBC

* * *

Aha! So there you have it. I know, I know, short chapter, took a long while, at least it's up, people! Now review, or I won't be embarrassed to be updating with you, savvy?

P.S. God's bread is just the Shakespearean way of saying 'god dammit'. Savvy? Not my favorite phrase to use, and heck, I'm a Shakey phan, so I thought; hey, why not? Oh yeah, and the conversation with Jack—the confusing one? That was semi-real. We talked about it in my head, like we always do. Much fun.

P.P.S. Now go on! Review!


	15. Dealing With Demons, Teenager Style

Mates! It has been a twenty-four hour update! This is the fastest I've ever done one, and it's really all thanks to the encouragement (annoyance) of one SamanthaSparrow. Let's all give her a round of applause and rum, aye? What say you? AYE!

**SamanthaSparrow:** You're a new reviewer, and already you've sparked both a friendship and a once-in-a-lifetime one day review. Kudos! And RUM! Too bad you don't like cliffies...

**marauder4ever:** Thanks, here's the update. Hope ya like it!

**Little Miss Sparrow:** Freaky. "Jack Sparrow! I always know de wind was goin' blow you back to me someday..." Tia Dalma speaks a broken English that many Jamaicans, and probably Caribbean natives speak. Her accent is strong, but if you open your ears, you can understand her.

**Authoressinhiding:** ANGSTY FANGIRL! ANGSTY FANGIRL! NUUUUUUUUUU! o.-

**Disclaimer:** I've got a jar of di-irt! I've got a jar of di-irt! ...And if I owned PotC, don't you think there'd be something _inside _the jar of dirt? -trips, rolls, falls down steps...- I've still got it!

Enjoy. It may take a while for an update, though. I hafta recharge after such a prompt update!

**Chapter Fifteen: Dealing With Demons...Teenager Style**

Without thinking, Jack pulled out his pistol, about to fire when James grabbed the barrel and stopped him. "Are you mad? It's fog—what effect would a bullet possibly serve but to possibly hit Amy instead?" Jack's eyes widened at the prospect, and he quickly put his gun away.

_But we have to do something!_ He squealed, throwing up his hands in aggravation and frustration.

Norrington read his body language like a book. "Well for once will you just try thinking before acting?" Jack put a finger to his chin in thought, then took out his pistol again. He pulled back the hammer to the first click and removed the shot, leaving only the gunpowder inside. He then swiped up a handful of dead plantlife from the ground and attempted to organize it so that they were all facing the same direction. James watched, arms crossed, amused in spite of the current situation. Jack, upon having achieved adequate organization of brush, pulled back the hammer to the second click and, holding the flintlock to the top of the handful, pulled the trigger, thus igniting it. With that, he took off toward the fog, makeshift torch waving madly before him. James, eyes growing ever larger, followed hot on his heels.

With a yell, the two disappeared into the fog. Where the torch burned, the fog cleared away. However, it still seemed to take twice as long as it should have to get to where the girl had been. But when she finally came into view, they saw her kick something about waist-height, still fogbound, and seemingly on contact, the fog dissipated, and they saw before her just what she saw: a fairly young man doubled over in pain and clutching his lower stomach. She then proceeded to kick him in the shins, demanding, "Tell. Me. What. You. Did," with each kick.

"Amy," gasped James, rushing over and holding her back. "Hardly proper."

"But highly effective," she replied, breathing heavily and trying to stay calm. She raised her voice so that the 'young man' could hear her. "So go on! Why did you do it? Tall me how we can reverse whatever it is you've done!"

"What's in it...fer me...if I tell?" wheezed the demon. In answer, Jack whipped out his pistol and cocked it, pointing it at the unfamiliar figure. They heard him laugh as he straightened. "A mere shot? You forget that I am immortal." He fixed his golden animal gaze on the pirate, who met it without flinching.

Jack glanced at Amy's booted toes a moment. _And you forget that you are male. ...Or are you?_

"It would be wise not to irritate me, cad, if you at all value yer life." Jack stared back, somehow unsurprised that his equine noises had been understood. "Oh. But perhaps it is not your life that you value." He smiled maliciously, circling the girl and Norrington. "Perhaps...it is the lives of those closest to you that you value. It would be shame to lose that..."

_What do you want?_ Jack asked, lowering his gun.

"To see you suffer."

_For what?_

"I was human once. Can you tell? I imagine you can. And I had an older brother of ill mentality. We were especially close, we brothers. But it was a horse he had. His greatest friend, even closer to him than myself. And one day, ruining our lives of peace, bereft of all violence, your ship attacked our town. Pirates never came to our port, and they have not since then. We have little of value, except a safe haven from the weather. ...You killed his horse that night in your attack. It drove my brother over the edge, and he committed suicide months later. I promised him I would avenge both his horse and his life." The demon's hands balled into fists, eyes becoming misty. "But he told me to never kill. Killing was what had brought all of this peril upon us. He told me to make this evil man who had destroyed him just understand. Make him appreciate the life he physically destroyed." The redheaded figure began to pace. "But how? Turn him into a horse, that much was obvious...but how to do it? So I sold my soul to the devil to find out how to fulfill my dear brother's final wish. And the answer...lay in the _Eohippus_ fruit. All I needed to do was plant the right seeds in the right places...and wait."

"But how come only I can see the pond with the plant?"

"One of the properties retained by the plant itself is that it and its location can only be seen through a child's eyes. However, once the fruit has fallen from the plant, it is visible even to the pirate scum of the Earth."

"How long ago was this attack?" James asked. He had a hunch.

"Seven...Eight years ago."

The three exchanged surprised expressions. _'Barbossa!'_ they all said in one voice.

"That wasn't Jack's fault!" cried the lass. "About thirteen years ago, Jack captained the _Black Pearl_. But his crew mutinied and marooned him on a desert island. So for ten years, his mutinous first mate Barbossa was the 'captain'. They sacked every ship and settlement they came upon for the next ten years, before Jack finally killed Barbossa and reclaimed the _Pearl_ for his own. If anyone killed that horse, it was Hector Barbossa. The kind of man who gives even pirates a bad name."

"Dead?"

_Aye. But, ah...he's alive again...or at least, he was last I saw of him._ James looked at him oddly. _You know. The whole Davy Jones adventure_.

"Where is he?" demanded the demon.

_I don't know. We lost touch with him after a while._

The demon had him by this shirt front, eyes blazing. "Where. Is. He." Jack swallowed uneasily. "Tell me. I promised my brother, and I will not let this opportunity slip through my fingers!"

_Whoa, now, mate. Was not the object to take a pirate and make him look at something in a whole new light? Cause mate, it worked. I appreciate what I've never given much thought to before, I understand things I never would have thought of. And it has probably stopped me from making a similar mistake, savvy?_ The young man released him. _Now, we're all very sorry for your loss, but we really must be going, so if you'll be so kind as to tell us how to undo all of this, we'll be on our merry way._

"I'd be happy to." Ames smiled victoriously. James crossed his arms, shaking his head in disbelief. And for good reason; "Just as soon as you give me the location of this 'Barbossa.'"

_How do I know we can trust you? A demon can never be trusted._

"No, but perhaps his former humanity can be."

_He has no humanity!_

Ames ignored him. "I challenge you to a battle of blades. ...Er, _metal_ blades, just so we're specific...oh heck, I challenge you to a sword fight, no demonic powers or anything, just human stuff, all's fair, et cetera. If I win, you tell us how to undo the _Eohippus'_ work."

"Aye, but what'll the prize be when I win, hmm? If _I_ win, you must take me to Barbossa."

"Amy," James pulled her aside. "You've only just learned how to sword fight. Do you really think you can take on a man with a much experience as he may have? Let one of us do this, if at all!"

"I can do this, James."

_Ames, it's not worth it. He could kill you, and I am worth no such price. Please, just think like the sensible girl you are this one time!_

"I know I can do this! I have this feeling."

"Amy—," James began, but Jack cut him off, laying a restraining hand on his shoulder. He turned around to face the pirate.

_Let her act on her feelings. You may be surprised._ James' jaw dropped, but he quickly acknowledged the inevitable and nodded his assent.

"Thank you both," she whispered, bringing them both into their first ever group hug.

'_Good luck,_' they both murmured, stepping back.

She nodded and saluted them, turning to face the demon. Simultaneously they both drew their blades, hers a cutlass, his a rapier. The 'Wheel of Fortune' track began to play in her head. And the demon jumped at her. She parried and dodged his next strike, countering with a thrust which was parried also. He jumped out of her reach, what with her blade being shorter than his. She parried his next thrust and lunged past him, into the trees. They exchanged strikes and parries before she dodged behind a palm tree. She dodged back and forth, from one side of the tree to the other, parrying his strikes as they came, before jumping on the opportune moment for a powerful strike, which he was barely able to parry before beginning a long string of powerful blows. She backed up with their strength, parrying those that she could and dodging those that she could not. "So...where'd you learn your swashbuckling?"

"My father. He taught me the basics." He parried on of her blows. "After that, I began to practice for several hours during the week," she parried his stream of strikes, "whenever my brother gave me time to."

"Ah?" She dealt another powerful blow with a grunt. She suddenly turned tail and ran into the jungle, twisting around to parry his blows as he caught up to her. "Go on?'

"After he died, I practiced nonstop, in the hopes of finding my revenge."

"Nonstop, eh?"

"Aye."

She absorbed his next blow with her cutlass. "You need to find yourself a girl, mate! _Or_," she parried his next strike and countered with several of her own, " perhaps it's like Jack said: 'Or are you!'" And with that she released a furious string of critical strikes. He parried most of them, though one found its way to his forearm, but it seemed to have no effect. Enraged at her insults, the demon struck out with more force than ever. Barely managing to parry them, the strength of each blow had thrown her off balance. Just when she thought he had finished, there came one blow from which she received a slice to the left upper arm. She grunted and bit her lip, but threw off his blade before it could get deeper.

'_Amy!'_ the spectators cried. But she heard them not. For before her eyes, she saw red. With a scream or fury, she shrugged off his blows with suddenly effortless parries and instead thrusted powerfully for his heart. With a grunt, he blocked most of her attacks, dodging a few. But the string was unending. She began to force him back toward their little clearing, and with a powerful blow, he stumbled several feet out of her range. She lunged toward him, but overestimated the distance and ended up going past him. He was regaining his feet quickly.

"Vault!" she cried to a nearby James, who cupped his hands. She stepped up and vaulted off them, twisting horizontally through the air, parrying the hopeful strike the off-balance demon had dealt, before landing behind him and dealing another blow. He dodged it, but she had been prepared for this. She blocked his next blow, but lost her sword in the process. "It's not over yet!" And she somersaulted between his legs to dodge his next blow. Twisting and turning, she continued to dodge until she reached her sword. Limbo-ing under a powerful swing, she grabbed her cutlass and lunged back at him. They parried again, her blows once again forcing him back. In one moment of confusion, their blades were caught against one another, pulling them closer together. For a moment, they glared at each other, eyes blazing. Then, realizing their proximity, she brought up her knee as hard as she could. He collapsed, coughing, and she kicked his rapier out of his grip, catching it in her own hand and pointing both blades at him. He scooted back, exhausted, until he found himself trapped between those blades and a rather large rock. He put up his hands in surrender. "Now...it's over. Savvy?"

"You cheated."

"Teenager," she replied.

"Amy, wonderful job!" James rushed over.

_Aye! Learned from the best, she did!_

"Told ya I could...could do it," she replied exhaustedly.

"Amy! You're bleeding!" It was true. Her entire sleeve had become soaked with red. She watched the liquid drip to the ground with an odd amusement before looking back up at James. Sighing, she collapsed into him, sweet, sweet darkness closing in around her. "Amy!" he cried frantically, catching her and giving her a light shake. But she couldn't hear him. She couldn't hear anything. He hugged her close.

* * *

Aww...Is this the end? Only one way to find out. REVIEW! 


	16. The End

Oki oki, so it's not a one-day update, it's a five-day one! Still better than I've been known for! Thanks for all the reviews. Pardon me if my replies see less enthusiastic, I lost a lot of sleep last night at the overnight at horse camp. Notice how it's specifically called 'The Overnight', and not 'The Sleepover,' savvy?

**Little Miss Sparrow:** I didn't know either. All I know is that it's NEVER in a million years gonna happen again. Lol, thanks for the review!

**Authoressinhiding:** You only say that because you've written similarly. What I specifically _meant_ was 'is this the end for Amy?' Savvy? So, would this suffice as an e-mail?...Dotdotdot...thanks for the review, by the way!

**pirateobsessed:** Aye, awesome soundtrack. The only annoying thing is that it won't stop playing in me head...well, that's really not so bad, then again. Oh, and methinks this chapter doth your question answer.

**obbits14:** Ah! I bow to you, oh faithful reviewer! Here, have some rum...more rum. Here's your chapter!

**SamanthaSparrow:** SQUEE! Jack's Lost Crown! -glomphs and puts crown crookedly on head- -gigglesnort- Oops, did I just steal that?...Well anyways, at least you didn't hafta wait SO long for this, eh?

**marauder4ever:** Thanks, I was writing it to the music. That always helps me, so long as the music accents the mood, and it fit perfectly in with the sequence. Danke for the review!

**Kal:** YAY! I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE INFATUATED WITH NORRIKENS! SQUEEE -runs around in circles- New reader, weehoo! -runs around in MORE circles- -sways like drunk- Wow, it's amazing what a lack of sleep does to you, eh? Thanks for the review, I hope this stops the twitching.

**Jess is a pirate:** You know, now that you've said that, the urban thing is most definitely going to be quoted. -twitch- Ow. And tell Jimmy that plastic spoons are lethal. That really hurt! Oh and about the not reviewing earlier thing? Don't feel bad! You weren't in the mood for it, I totally understand. If anyone should be beating on themselves, it should be me—I kept bothering you and bothering you about it, and I'm sincerely sorry, savvy? -hugses- Lylas, mate.

**Disclaimer:** Disney! I always know de wind was goin' blow you back to me one day! DON'T SUE ME I OWN NOTHING! Geeze...they just HAFTA ckeck up on me every update. It's like they're stalking me. -looks nervous and glances over shoulder- Eep!

Enjoy!

**Chapter Sixteen: The Journey Yet Continues**

Gentle sunlight filtered in through a window, turning a golden shade as the evening approached. Chocolate brown eyes opened to meet it, and a deep breath was taken at the unexpected pain. Amy blinked once and tried to ignore her arm. Yes, she was alive, if only a bit worse for wear. She could hardly believe it though. She shifted her position slightly, trying not to disturb her arm, which she found bandaged and tended. It had grown somewhat stuffy, as she felt, and she carefully peeled away the blanket to see that she was once again in her pajamas from home; the black cotton/spandex tank and the light blue-and-green bottoms. With a light blush, she shrugged off all mental questions of who had dressed her, and instead tried to get her bearings. She was lying on the chart table in the captain's cabin, so she recognized blearily. Looking to her right, she spotted a figure drooped in a chair nearby, head bowed to his chest, asleep. It was James, and his expression was taught, his face a bit paler than she remembered. But then again, her memory was a bit fuzzy at the moment, so she couldn't be sure. His short brown hair was tousled and unkempt, and she pondered at how he was able to sleep at such an uncomfortable position. He was just like her cat in that sense. She took in the rest of him, and noticed unusually bare feet and a certain book lying open in his lap. She smiled slightly, and lay her head back down, rustling lightly under the sheets. At the sound, he stirred slightly. "You know, James," she said very softly, "I'm pretty sure there are a few things a mite more comfortable in here than that chair."

He opened his eyes—those dark hazel eyes which turned an icy green when he was excited, and an even darker shade of hazel when he was irked at something (the latter of which being what everyone who knew him as the Commodore almost always saw)—and saw her, leaning lightly on her right elbow and twisting over to see him. He smiled and closed the book, set it aside, standing and coming nearer to sit at her side on the table. "You're awake," he noted.

She looked herself up and down. "Yeah, I'd already wagered that..."

He chuckled. "Sorry. I guess I've been around you for too long—I'm starting to point out the obvious."

She grinned. "You say this like it's a bad thing!"

"Who knows if it is? I know neither of us does."

"True. True."

They sat in silence a moment before James carefully gathered her into a hug, which she gingerly returned. "You gave us all quite a fright yesterday," he murmured into her unkempt hair.

"Oh!" She pulled away from him slightly so they could see each other. "What about Jack? Did the demon give up the goods?"

"If by 'goods' you mean how to undo everything, then yes. As soon as he had seen what he'd done to you, what with promising his brother he would never kill, he agreed to tell us what needed to be done. Jack has gone through the procedure to reverse the _Eohippus'_ work. All we can do now is wait."

"Ah," Ames nodded. There was another pause. "So what'd he end up having to do?"

"He had to eat another fruit in its entirety, rind and seeds included."

"Ick."

"Yes," he chuckled. "Anamaria says he would not stop complaining about the cramps, bloating, and awful taste."

"Still with signs?"

"Still with signs," Norrie nodded. "But that'll all change soon."

"My thoughts exactly."

There was yet another pause in which they released each other fully and sat there in meditative silence. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore, but that's to be expected."

"No stinging, burning, itching?"

"No burning or itching, stings a bit though."

"Good. Then Jack's 'precious' rum was not wasted after all." There was a short pause, and they both broke out laughing at what his face must've looked like when faced with such a suggestion. They hugged again, and Ellie kissed the top of her head, saying, "I'm so proud of you," before taking a firm, though careful hold on her shoulders. "And don't you _dare _scare me like that again, you hear?" he ordered, smile replaced with a stern expression.

She nodded and he released his grip. "And you? How are you feeling?"

"A bit tired, but nothing that negative."

"Good."

"You know...I'm thinking there's someone who would want to see you." James rose and took a peek out the cabin door, then closed it and returned. "On second thought, he's a tad busy right now and won't be able to get away to see you."

"Then why not bring _me_ to _him_, eh?"

"I don't entirely trust you to walk, pet. You lost a lot of blood, and it would be unwise to do anything of the sort so soon."

"Well I can't have lost _that_ much blood, seeing as how when I sat up and when you hugged me, I wasn't dizzy." He seemed to consider this. "At least let me try standing up."

He blinked and sighed. "Fine." And he helped her slowly to her feet from the 'oh-so-comfortable' map of the Atlantic. Ptooi.

"Ooo..." Todd swayed like a drunk. "Mebbe I _am_ a bit woozy after all. Foot hurts too."

"I imagine so," he answered, offering a steady arm for her to lean on. "All that dueling opened up the wound again. Don't worry, Mr. Cotton was kind enough to notice and tend to that."

"I'll have to thank him when I get the chance." She took a deep breath in the hopes of clearing her dizziness, but hardly had an effect on it. "You're right, I don't trust me either. For walking, at least..."

"Well, there's always this option."

"What opt—?" She was cut short when he gingerly hefted her into his arms. "You're sure I won't be too heavy for you?"

"Heh. What are you, maybe one hundred? One hundred-ten pounds? I've lifted plenty heavier than you."

"Oh. Dude, you'd be so buff where I come from...prolly benching like fi'-hundred pounds, I'd bet! Cool!"

"Uh...sure..." She smirked at his confusion. If she ever got him into her world, there would be so much to teach him..._Oh_, thought she with a wicked mental image, _Gangsta Ellie...heehee, that'll be interesting..._ "What's that grin? I know that look...it's an evil look, and it never bodeswell. Should I be worried?"

"Nope, nuh-uh, not at all," she answered too quickly. He quirked an eyebrow, but proceeded to carry her out of the cabin. Once on deck, she blinked several times as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight. It was a moment before she noticed all the crew around them, hard at work. The day just seemed so more colorful than she remembered it. Everything did. She heard a _squawk_ and looked around to see the gold-and-cerulean parrot landing in the ratlines, looking at her.

"The living still tell tales!" it cried. And she couldn't help but smile.

It was then that she realized James' line of travel, and looked ahead. There she saw him, standing at the helm, eyes focused on the horizon. Though as they neared, she understood that his eyes were not so focused after all, and it seemed his shoulders almost sagged. "Is...is Jack all right?"

"He'll be okay after a few days and this whole ordeal is over. I'm told the reversing takes a rather large toll on the body. Aside from that, he can't eat or drink anything but water until everything is complete."

"_Oh_. Wow...poor Deb..." Jack reached up with one hand and rubbed exhaustedly at his eyes with a thumb and index finger. "No rum—how can he hold out?"

"By taking all the time he can to steer the _Pearl_ before lack of nutrition weakens him too much. I admit, I don't think I have ever seen a man as devoted to his ship as he."

"That's what you like about him, isn't it?"

"What gave you that idea?" he asked defensively. "He is a pirate. There is nothing to admire." Ames just gave a small, knowing smile, eyebrow slightly quirked. James sighed irritatedly. "Fine. Believe what you wish." They climbed the steps to the bridge, and there they waited, beside Jack.

As if suddenly sensing their presences (likely), the pirate whipped out of his thoughts and turned to see them. And his eyes fell on the girl, a lopsided grin spreading across his face. A look and a nod passed between the two men before he took the child in his embrace (which was quite a bit less steady, though still as comforting, mind you all) and swung her in a slow, careful arc as they hugged. "G'morning, Jack." He blew a soft breath against her ear as their embrace ended. "How are you faring without the rum?" He gave her a look mixed of sadness and annoyance as if to ask, 'Why did you just _have_ to ruin the moment?' That was _his_ job, after all... She laughed lightly before a wave of dizziness momentarily washed over her. "Ooo, laughing not the best idea...I mean I know laughter is supposta be the all-time healer, but methinks this ain't gonna work so well, eh?" He smiled faintly, but was silent. Her brow creased. Something was definitely off. "Jack?" No reply came. "Why don't you say anything?" He only looked at her sadly again, and shook his head, ruefully, hugging her close. She looked to James, confused.

"Oh...yes...my apologies, I had neglected to mention that he cannot speak, cannot make a sound."

"Horse too?"

"Horse too. 'Following time of silence, time of hunger, time of chaos, time of pain / Comes time of wisening, time of understanding, time of discovery. / Control? None. / There is only peace, only harmony, only life,'" he recited.

_Then why don't you just think to me?_ thought she to him, locking gazes.

There was a silence, a hesitation in which she began to lose hope, began to wonder if they were still connected. Then, an exhausted murmur: _Too...tiring..._ She blinked and immediately understood. Seeing as they had learned things the hard way, she knew just how draining it was to speak only through telepathy. With so little 'precious' energy left—what with two days without food—speaking through thought was simply not an option.

She nodded. "I eagerly await our next conversation, Debbie. It should be...interesting, to say the least. Ellie, if it's not too much trouble, I don't want to drain Jack _too_ much...and somehow, I think Jack wants me in bed or something." Jack was in fact giving her a stern, almost parent-like look. She thought a moment. "Then again, I can always try my hand...er, feet at walking again..." However, even as she felt Jack weakening as he held her, he would not let her down. Instead, he nodded to Norrington and they exchanged armloads; nothing for girl, or girl for nothing.

James turned to take her back to the cabin. They left, Amy peering around her, for all intents and purposes, 'nephew's' shoulder at Jack who was again looking at nothing, hand resting absently on the helm. And for the first time, she really began to worry about him. "Do you think he'll be all right?" she asked.

James shrugged gingerly. "Maybe some minor negatives, but nothing he won't be able to bounce back from, I don't think."

She nodded agreement, leaning her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes. "James?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too," came the reply, soft as if from a lack of use over the decades...

* * *

Boring, I know. Jess, that would be 'love as a family member', savvy? I know what's going on in that head of yours. Lol. To everyone else, I bid you all good tidings until my next update...in about a year. KIDDING! Don't go pulling out your pistols, gawd. Mebbe only a month this time! I swear on me honor as a pirate...wait a minute -ponders- Oki never mind, I'm confusing me. Anywho, leave a review! Only a few chapters left, mates! Review while you can! 


	17. Wait! There's more

Oho, what's this? A FOUR-DAY update...I say, I think I'm getting better about all this... Anywho, eeeeee, just shy by one review to the hundred mark. Just one! So, be the first to review this chapter and thou shalt win a most wonderfully wonderful -coughimaginarycough- prize!

Now, for review praise:

**Jess is a pirate:** Yes I can read your mind. That's why we're bffs, remember? Oh, and HA! Gotcha, you fell for the whole 'The End' trick, didn't ya. Heehee. Sorry, mate, just wanted to see how many would fall for it...I mean, those for alerts, anyway...you see it in your inbox and you're like "o.0 The End? Wtf! I wonder what's gunna go down!" Lol, sorry, mate...

**pirateobsessed:** "It's called 'the end' but it isn't the end?" See review reply for Jess is a pirate. Guess you fell for it too. -sigh- And Norry? Nice? Aduh. Get used to it, love, cuz there's _loads_ more where that came from, savvy? You'll just have to learn to live with it. XD Thanks for the review, btw.

**obbits14:** You're welcome, and yes, peace will one day be achieved. In fact, it already has, it's just that neither of them will admit it. XP And as for question number two...well, let's just say I'm getting ideas. Dotdotdot...

**marauder4ever:** Glad it wasn't as boring as I thought. Thanks for the sweet review!

**Authoressinhiding:** I know you know. Notice how that fact was specifically following the address of 'Jess'? Now, I may be mistaken, which we both know I'm not, but did you not say your name was other than that?

**Little Miss Sparrow: **Unfortunately, though, Gangsta Ellie will hafta wait for one of the sequels. And the nudging and winking and all but knocking me over with subtlety (by the way, OW!) apparently paid off, cuz here's an update. Wow.

**SamanthaSparrow:** Mate, it looks like you, too, have fallen for things...though apparently even after reading said chapter wherein I specified thereare still a few chapters left, you still thought it was the end. Lol, I don't know about you, but I don't see the word 'complete' under my summary anywhere... Seriously, though, thanks for the review, and I hope my story continues to please you. I hope it pleases all its viewers, even the invisible and imaginary.

**RespectTheSporks:** Ahh, that's good rum! -urp- Oop, excuse that, ANYWHO, thankee for the review, here's the promised next chapter.

**Disclaimer:** Tia Dalma: You...  
Me: Me?  
TD: You have a touch of...destin_ee_ about _you_.  
Me: Does that destiny involve Disney suing me? Cuz I keep telling them I MAKE NO PROFIT!  
TD: You will meet a man called 'Idiot'.  
Me: -GASP- JOHNNY'SLASTNAMEISGERMANFORIDIOT ZOMG! SQUEEEEEE!

**Chapter Seventeen: Of Battles, Exhaustion, and Nightmares**

Two mornings later, Ames sat relaxedly at the stern of the _Pearl_, leaning lightly against the bulwarks, head turned away from the sun, not far from where James had deposited her earlier that day. Jack turned from the helm and signed something to Anamaria, who was at his side, awaiting his silent messages. Ana in turn turned to the girl. "What'd he say?" asked the younger of the lasses, looking up.

"He wants to know how you knew that finishing move was going to work, him being a demon and all..."

The girl raised her voice so the captain could hear. "Because demon or not, all men are the same." Jack winced when Ana laughed. Boy did he know it, thanks to her.

He signed one more question, which the female translated for him. "And also how you knew you would be able to beat him?"

"Well Jack and James are both very skilled swordsmen. This demon was, while having practiced as he had, probably not as experienced as either of them. Had either man challenged him rather than I, said demon would not have accepted said challenge. However, I knew he would think a fight with an inexperienced girl such as myself would be an easy victory. But, myself being a teenager, what with the raging hormones, I knew there'd be a huge adrenaline rush, and it would be that kind of adrenaline rush that would secure my victory...even if it were a bit late in coming. That, and I had this feeling about it."

"A feeling?" Ana looked at her oddly.

"Aye. See, when I get a feeling about things, it usually helps me analyze the situation. A good feeling means that a certain action will likely work. A bad feeling means I should try something else. Well, I had a...well, I wouldn't call it a 'good' feeling, to be quite honest, but it was a knowledge, a...a definite certainty that I've never felt before in my life. So it just had to work."

Jack gave an understanding nod, turning to look at her. He knew about her strong sense of perception. It was why he'd held Norrington back in the middle of their argument. He knew exactly what she meant; he'd had such 'feelings' many a time before. As much as his crew had (and still do) thought him crazy, his insane plans always seemed to work. And it was all thanks to such feelings, such nudges from the subconscious mind. He wiped the sweat from his brow on his sleeve and signed to Anamaria to take over at the helm for him. He then decided it might be a good idea to remove his frock coat, and did so. The girl looked at him questioningly as he eased down beside her, trying not to collapse. _Need a break,_ he managed to think to her. _I—_.

"Don't. Save your energy, honest, I'm perfectly fine with it. Cotton and his parrot have been teaching me a bit, after all, so we're not _completely_ out of the communication loop." He nodded his understanding and they sat together in silence, just basking in one another's presence.

— — — — —

The fourth day of sailing came and went. The wind did not fill the sails, and things were slow going. It could be another few days before they would reach port. It was that afternoon that Amy's much desired reading was interrupted by a sudden commotion. James, having been out on deck and helping with the crewing, out of nowhere burst through the door and held it open for several of the crew as they hurried inside, carrying a limp someone among them. She closed her book and watched in alarmed concern from her place on the table as they placed the someone in Jack's bunk opposite her. She craned her neck to see over Gibbs' shoulder and recognized said captain, unconscious and not looking particularly well. "Jack!" she gasped.

"Fetch a bucket of water!" ordered Gibbs. "You two stay and help, the rest of ye back ta work—we still have a ship what needs sailing!" They did as ordered, leaving only Jack, two crewmates, Gibbs, and an unnoticed Ames. "You two—get him outta those clothes. He's overheated enough as it is already." At this, Amy's eyes widened and she hastily turned her back to the scene.

She heard them undress their captain, covering him lightly with the sheets, and could only hope his dignity, his pride would not be affected at these of his crew seeing him so vulnerable, so helpless. She turned cautiously to see how bad he looked due to whatever happened. He was unmoving, in all sense of the word save for the slight rise and fall of his—_Oh...I never knew Jack breathed through his diaphragm..._ She recalled how he used to peek into her mind when she wasn't paying attention. And thus she nestled into the quiet confines of his momentarily silent mind and just listened as he had taught her to. And ever so faintly, she began to hear the 'Jack Sparrow' track, as if he'd memorized it in the single time she'd let him listen in. It gently became more present, more distinct until it surrounded her, every beat and chord pulsing through her, swirling about her, dancing with her, smiling a crooked smile. And there was this presence about it. The music embraced her, enveloped her. Loved her. "Miss Amy!" She blinked several times, struggling away from the pirate's mind. Rubbing irritatedly at her eyes, she blinked again and looked to see Gibbs gaping at her. "You should not be watching such things at your age." The other two crewmen were nowhere to be seen. She supposed they had left.

"What? No, I turned my back for that, Mr Gibbs. I was merely looking into his thoughts as he has with mine." The old salt suddenly looked very nervous. "I will explain at a better time. What happened?"

"Jack never took off his coat. And what with this accursed heat, he collapsed just now at the helm."

"Wh—is there anything can be done?"

"We'll see as soon as the Commodore gets back with that water." As if on cue, James returned, carrying a basin of water. He nodded to the lass as he set it down next to the pirate's bunk, placing a rag over its rim. "He needs to be cooled off as much as possible," Gibbs explained to her askance expression.

"Well then." She hopped off the table and strode over, picked up the rag, and dipped it into the water. "In that case..." She wrung out the excess and began dabbing gently at Jack's head, jaw, neck, chest. "...Like this?" came her uncertainty, like a butterfly that preferred the safety of its chrysalis to the outside world. Gibbs only nodded. "Good. Then both of you out." She shooed them. "Go on, give us some room to breathe, eh? Oh and Joshamee?—was it specified whether his water must be salt or fresh?"

He thought a moment. "No."

"Good. Try adding a little salt water to his supply. Who knows? He may get at least some nutrients from it, and some sense of taste back on his tongue. Kay? Good. Now go on, the both of you." And with their departure, she rose and opened a few of the port side windows for ventilation, as that was about where the wind came from. From there, she proceeded to bustle about, pinning down anything that would blow away, fanning the (temporarily!) invalid, and pulling up the sheets at the foot of the bed to expose his feet. It were an old trick her mum had taught her: warm feet meant a warmer body. So if the feet cooled, the body cooled. She dragged a chair over to his side, much as James had for her, she imagined, and resumed the task of dabbing the surprisingly cool water over him. Not long after, she paused to let the evaporation process begin to take place, thus doing the actual cooling. (Oki, so I'm a science fan...no big, right?...) As she sat there beside him, once again lost in daydreams as she stared aimlessly at the tip of the pirate's nose, she noticed his expression become strained for a moment before appearing relaxed again.

And like a ripple in the water, a wave of gooseflesh spread across his visible skin, and she supposed these were not the chills that were hoped for in his cooling. A gold-toned hand clenched at the sheets almost invisibly, and she wondered what exactly was going on. Taking a gentle peek toward his subconscious as he had indeed done many a time with her, she was overcome by a tumultuous chaos and confusion. There were emotions of all kinds—anger, sadness, heartbreak, confusion, courage, fortitude, some sense of joy, finality—and she was quickly growing disoriented until images cleared for her to see. She was looking through Jack's eyes, or so she assumed, and they were facing the jagged, toothy mouth of a rather large something, tentacles wrapping around and ultimately sinking the _Pearl_. Facing that, she pulled out as quickly as she could. It was a dream, after all. The most private of thoughts to intrude upon, the safest and yet most dangerous places in one's mind. "Poor thing," she murmured softly, taking up the rag and dabbing at his nervous brow. "Having such a horrid nightmare..." She dared to put her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze, and was almost surprised when that squeeze was returned. Among her work, she sang very softly the Davey Jones theme (from the music box), hoping it would be somewhat soothing.

A few moments more, the events of said dream being predictable, Jack's eyes flew open with a sharp intake of breath. He let it out slowly as he realized it had only been a dream, eyes darting around the room as he tried to gain his bearings. "You're in your cabin," a voice notified him. It was a moment before he recognized it, and another moment before he noticed the coolness rubbing at his brow. His eyes wandered up until he saw a hand holding a damp rag. Following the arm that happened to be attached to said hand, he finally saw the girl, whom he had failed to notice sitting at his side. 'How are you feeling?' she signed. With a blink, he signed something with 'worse' in it, but what with the lass still in learning, she didn't quite catch it all. "Wait...you've _been _worse, or you _are _worse?"

He thought a moment, before signing more slowly, 'Been. Feeling much cooler, though. I believe I have you to thank?' She bobbed her head. He raised his hands in his signature prayer motion in thanks. 'Much obliged.'

"No problem. Thirsty?" He nodded. "All right, I'll fetch Joshie with the imminently unfresh water." She stood, ignoring both her foot and his somewhat alarmed expression. Pausing in the doorway, she twisted around and added, "Stay in bed, all right?" He was about to argue when she gave him her evil look, and resolved to do as told.

— — — — —

Not long after, Gibbs returned with a bucket of water, as well as some drinking implement. Jack sat up wearily and took the proffered stein, and took a long, grateful swig after signing his thanks. He froze mid-gulp, drawing the cup away from his mouth and making a face at the taste, before looking to his first mate questioningly, expression confused. Gibbs shrugged helplessly. "The lass had a few ideas under her fingers." Jack merely rolled his eyes. "Somethin' about nutrients and the like..."

'Smart girl,' the captain signed with a sigh, though knowing full well his second in command did not understand him. With best wishes toward better health, the elder departed. Bracing himself for the taste, Jack downed the water as fast as he could. Said girl, however, had not returned. He suspected she'd grown bored of being cooped up in this cabin, as roomy as it felt, and had probably gone out on deck to stretch her legs and do something mildly active. Out of safety toward himself—after all, she _had_ given him the evil eye when ordering him to stay abed—he resolved to stay put, a finger stroking his beard as he pondered what to ponder about. Food. There was an idea. The whole concept confused him greatly. It wasn't so much that he couldn't physically eat—not that he'd tried—but rather that he did not desire it, despite the growing emptiness he felt in the pit of his stomach, the poor-tempered grumbling that interrupted his day on several occasions not allowing him to forget. It was just that the thought of food somehow repulsed him. In fact, just thinking about thinking about food was making him blanch. Of all things! If he could name three things at the top of his list, it was the _Pearl_,freedom,and food. And rum. ...And his hat...

It'd only been four days and already he'd begun to lose weight. He could feel the difference just sitting there. Absentmindedly, he was feeling at his ribs, as they were jutting out just a bit more than he remembered. Catching himself, he rolled his eyes with a sigh and reached for a book. Nothing to take the 'bored' out of 'boredom' like a novel to shake the ages.

— — — — —

Well, while the captain's state hardly improved, it had not in any way grown worse by the sixth day of sailing. He supposed he had the girl and her salt water to thank. He sat out at the base of the mainmast, watching idly as his crew bustled about their work. In nothing but a shirt, trousers, and his sash, red bandana present as always, he had to admit it wasn't nearly as stifling. To be honest, it did not grow very hot out over the open water, so it was really less overheating and more a mixture of hunger and lack of sleep what had taken him down. Not that everyone else needed to know that. His stomach grumbled again, and he wondered if his wants toward food, or lack thereof, had changed at all. Just like he had wondered every three bells for the past six days. And in fact, change they had, for he no longer felt repulsed, but rather a gaping pit what needed filling. With this in mind, he elected to raid the galley.

It was there that the girl found him, trying not to overeat nor drink his rum too fast. He spotted her and leaned back in his chair, trying to look like he still had more control than his stomach. She eased into a chair next to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, glad to see him eating again. "Feeling better?" He signed a 'definite yes,' and she frowned slightly. "Still can't talk?" His only answer was to wrap an arm round her shoulders and sigh.

'Oh...on second thought, perhaps I do not feel so much better,' he motioned, standing up unsteadily.

"Eat too fast?" Jack shook his head. "Eat too much?"

The pirate merely shrugged. 'I don't think so.'

"Odd..."

'Aye.' And like a roller coaster, things quickly went downhill. Again. Jack retched once, brining up half his lunch, tremors running through him. He took a steadying grip on the doorframe nearby, instinctively thinking 'horse,' though only out of habit. However, that habit was what revealed a second twist to them. For moments later, there was a horse lying in the galley, ears twitching in confusion.

The girl's eyes widened. "Dotdotdot?"

_Aye_, came the irritated snort.

"O...kay...so you can eat again, still turn into a horse, _talk_ as a horse, but not make so much as a peep while human?"

_Apparently, luv._ He didn't dare get to his feet, for fear of caving the floor. Nor did he change back, for the change did in fact take quite a bit of energy, which he had not yet regained. _Well...I certainly hope no one needs to get to the galley in any hurry, unless they're superb climbers,_ he noted, twisting his head around to see his equine form blocking the doorway.

"Yeah...I'm gonna go get James now."

_Good lass. I have you trained rather well, don't I? _She rolled her eyes dramatically and made to leave before turning right back around and going to the table wherehe had been eating. She took a bite out of a leftover chicken wing, savoring the taste and licking her fingers, before scrambling over him and up the companionway. _That lass thinks of her stomach almost as much as **I** do..._

It was not long after that said Commodore was following the lass down the companionway. He stopped dead in his tracks as the large horse came into view, eyes widening in shock. "How? ...Why?"

"We don't know. Do you remember that...whatever it was that the demon told you? The one you recited when I woke up?"

James pondered allof it for a moment. Then, he snapped his fingers as if in victory. "That's it!"

* * *

Aha! Extra long for ya! Anybody else sense some difference in my writing style? I do. It seems rather off. And this chapter felt very redundant (Teenager!), and for that I apologize. I hope it didn't ruin the chapter for you all, but feel free to tell me anyhow! Now then, REVIEW. Be the hundredth reviewer (the first one once this chapter is up) and you get a huge imaginary prize! YAYY! Now click the button! ...And that goes for all you shadow readers, too, savvy?

REVIEW!


	18. Common Facts

Ahh! Oh another five-day update! Squee-ness! And all these reviews! Thirteen? That's the most ever so far! So consider this quick update a prize for you all. Our hundredth reviewer was none other than **pirateobsessed**. Let's all give her a round of applause and rum!

**pirateobsessed:** Yeah, actually it is German for idiot. I believe it, lol. And thankee for the compliment on the writing, I **really** appreciate it! So...you've won our imaginary prize: You get one wish. Tell me about it in your review, eh?

**obbits14: **Unfortunately, no, that is not the plot. I love that you speculate on what may happen in future chapters, and I adore your creativity! Thanks for the review!

**Mrs Capt Jack Sparrows:** No, unfortunately you are not. Thou art #102. Aye? Still, thanks for the review. Hope you've caught up on your sleep since then...

**Authoressinhiding:** Oh, church is fine, and congrats on the regained inspiration! Tell Will Jack doesn't want to talk about the kiss. Ever. And that he doesn't need sea turtles; he has crabs and quicksand! Oops! Spoilers...sorry...

**SamanthaSparrow:** Here's yer update. BROWNIE! SPLEE!

**Estel Ashlee Snape:** New reviewer! -runs around in circles!- Yay! Aye, there are just **too many** of those stories floating around. I figured I'd give fanfic a bit of a reality check, eh? Thanks for the lovely review, mate!

**marauder4ever:** Thanks for the review! I can't wait either...it always keeps me wondering...

**Jess is a pirate:** LAPTOP! SPLEE! -does jig to Tortuga track- xD FUNF! So now we **both** gots lappies! Nice. Yes I had to be polite. I was doing things realistically. I'm not that bad, mate...I'm really not...besides, I felt bad for him. It was inappropriate. The only time I shall ever see that is when he, 40, and I, goin' on 16, share a twin mattress. Savvy? xP lmao! What else is there to say but...NO SHARPENED SPOONS! ;—;

**Molly:** You read it! Ahm so happeh! Remind me to remind you when the next chapter is up...! Thanks for reviewing!

**Destinysway114:** HI! Who said the demon lied? I never did, nope, never! Lol...Here be the next chapter. Perhaps things'll clear up a bit?...

**wayunlucky13:** Actually, 17 is **my** unlucky number, but let us not get into the subject of luck. -runs in circles- whoa...dizzy...Anywho, thanks for such a LOVELY review, I'm glad you got the chance to send it in! It was so encouraging! But seriously, no caffeine...I got drunk off of it recently. It was loads of fun. Hangover was not. Lol! COKE TRUCK! ...pardon me...please...

**Little Miss Sparrow:** Yes. Well, no. Take the 'bored' out of 'boredom' and you meditate. Ooooohhhmmmmmmmm...But the word would not work like 'boredooooohhhmmmmmmmm', so the condensed version would be 'om', savvy? Confused? That makes two of us! Yayy! I'm not alone! Lol, thanks for the review!

Oh! And I found another reason for why Amy would see James as attractive, **especially** as she and he bear no visible resemblance: Her preferences toward appearance in men was the same for her clone, thus her clone married a man she herself would have found attractive. Genetics took over from there. That better? Cuz I hated the first explanation...

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: Common Fact # 82: Demons Can't Lie  
****Common Fact #234: Randomness Is Possibly Genetic And MOST DEFINITELY Will Rub Off On Others!**

"What's it?" asked the lass.

"That poem—or whatever it was—mentioned something about no control, but rather harmony...I think that means that _Captain_ Jack Sparrow will always be somewhat more of a horse than a bird."

"So you're still bonded with the horse, buddy." Jack's ears drooped. "So when you feel sick it means you have to change. ...But then why is it that he still can't speak?"

Norrington thought a minute. "...I think it's because it is the last thing about him that should change. It is the only thing so far that has not gone back to... uh...'normal.' So then speech can only be a few days away...God have mercy when he gets it back..."

Jack snorted indignantly, and Amy couldn't help but to laugh. "So how are you feeling physical-wise, eh?"

He flicked his ears and snorted. _Fine, fine...still weak though...I have a lot of strength to build up before I'm even fit to captain again._

"How about for changing back?"

_Give me an hour or so and I should be all right._

"Oki. Who captains in your place?"

_Anamaria. I thought you knew that._

"Yeah, but who's the replacement?"

_Replacement? What replacement?_

"She's leaving again, Jack. She misses her own ship and says her visit is coming to an end." Jack lowered his muzzle confusedly, until it was almost touching the floor. "'But there _is_ good news.'"

_Aye? _His ears flew up. _And what might that be?_

"'I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico!'"

Debbie and Ellie rolled their eyes simultaneously. "Has she always been like this?" the man asked the horse.

Jack bobbed his head. _Worse._

James sighed. "Grand..."

They looked back at the girl, who was trying to pull off an innocent expression. It wasn't working. So she went for the backup plan. "Moo!"

_Lord, what have you stranded me with?_ She only grinned cheekily.

James crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe behind Jack. "You know, I think I'll leave you two and go tell Anamaria she's temporarily in charge, and not come back for a very _long_ time."

Amy grinned evilly at Jack, whose ears were pricked as far forward as they could go in apprehension. She sat on his side and what could only have been described as pure madness proceeded to flow from her mouth. "Ooooohh—Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!..."

_Wait!_ Jack cried to Norry. _Take me with yyooouuu!_ James rolled his eyes and smiled to himself, not stopping nor turning around as he ascended the companionway.

It was as he poked his head through the hatch that he heard the cry: "LAND HO!" He jumped fully topside and scrambled with the rest of the crew to the port bulwarks to see. Sure enough, there was a faint dark line on the horizon, fluffy clouds gathering over it.

Port Royal was about to receive yet another visit from the _Black Pearl_.

With a rueful sigh, the Commodore hurried down below, lamenting his slowly deteriorating mental health as the Spongebob theme song echoed up from the galley. "They'll have me institutionalized when they realize my sanity has been broken." And he couldn't help but to add a mental _SASSAFRAS! _onto the end. He cursed silently at this. The girl was rubbing off on him more and more every day. He could only hope it wasn't anything genetic...that he wouldn't be doomed to an insane future of such immaturity, randomness...and joy at just being alive...? This last thought bemused him. But he had little time to ponder the subject, for he tripped right over a now-human Jack in his temporary lack of awareness. With an "Oof!" he landed a faceplant at the girl's feet.

"You oki?" she asked, kneeling down beside him.

"Fine, fine," he replied, easing up into off the floor. She chose then to laugh. Jack joined her silently, both clutching their sides and collapsing back to back. "Absolutely wonderful. Now hush: we've sighted land."

"We've what?" asked a still-giggling Todd. Norrington repeated it again, but still neither could hear above the laughter.

Standing and brushing off the dust, he cupped his hands around his mouth and cried: "LAND HO!"

"Daaaaannnng!" Amy exclaimed, stopping her laughter altogether. "Jim, you got lungs, man!"

He looked at her askance. "Don't we all?"

"Another expression."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"..." He shook it off and instead looked around for anything with which to change the subject. His eyes fell upon the pirate. "So I see Jack has regained enough energy to change back, eh?"

"Yah. Who woulda guessed? Turns out he had more strength than he was letting on."

"Isn't that how it always is?" And at this, Jack summoned the strength to stand, and shook the Commodore's hand enthusiastically, as if congratulating him on understanding an important concept. James merely rolled his eyes. "Anyway, we should reach Port Royal late this evening."

It was then that Jack and Ames exchanged aghast expressions. "His blindfold!"

'How could we have forgotten?'

"I dunno, we were too preoccupied. Crap."

'You're telling me. What have I done to me crew!'

James, being the perceptive man he was, understood precisely what it was they were talking about. "If it's your precious island you're worried about, Sparrow," Jack pointed an annoyed finger at him in place of his '_Captain!'_, "then I fell I should tell you that you have nothing to worry about. I saw no civilians. I saw no merchants nor ports nor harbors nor towns. So then, that being the case, how would I have witnessed any piracy worth reporting or chasing after? No one was being bothered...at least not in any way that the law should intervene. Hmm?"

"James, you rock!" The girl rushed over and embraced him. "Group hug!" Jack only looked bewildered, and Norrington had to smile at this. "Come on, Jack, hug us. You know you want to." Reluctantly, Jack joined the embrace, and the three almost felt like a family (well, a family of two bickering brothers and a young female relative, anyway) before the two men shifted away awkwardly. Silence followed. Which meant the common cheer: "Awkward silence!" Clap clap clap-clap-clap!

"Rave!" James blurted, before catching himself and clamping his mouth shut.

"Do you even know what a rave is?"

"Not an inkling, pet."

"Good. They're absolutely nuts."

'Dare I ask what is going on with him?' gestured Jack, mouth agape.

_Methinks my randomness is either wearing off on him, it's genetic and only just now coming to the surface, or both_, telepathized she to he.

'Good Lord, we don't need an insane Commodore on our tails!'

"You'll be fine," Amy replied, eyes wandering to James. She held his gaze, and continued to Jack—though it appeared she was now speaking to her 'nephew'—"Somehow, I just have a 'feeling' you'll be fine. Savvy?"

Jack nodded. 'Well...I'm feeling rather good about this...except that I still feel off...'

"Maybe you should have stayed a horse longer. I mean...if the two extremes of human and equine must live in harmony, must not _both_ have life among the living world?"

Jack shrugged. 'Makes about as much sense as anything else. But this time, we shall proceed topside. I want room to move around.'

They did so. Once on deck, the bright sunlight greeted them. With a breeze in his hair, the captain summoned the horse, and the wind picked up again...though this time not violently, as it had before... Amy gaped at him in shock. "Jack?"

_Aye?_

"How did you do that?"

Jack smirked a horsey smirk. _Same way we always have, luv._

"But I wasn't even _thinking_ horse this time."

The stallion froze. _What? Well then how...?_

"I wonder if you've gained freedom or something like that with the...'antidote?'"

_...Perhaps..._

That evening, three human forms moved silently (though for one, that really wasn't much of a feat) through the jungle, toward town. The next day would see them facing yet more adventure...wherein an innocent life could be at stake.

* * *

Oki oki, short. Deal with it, at least I updated. I missed the random, so I put it back in. I couldn't believe it when I found no randomness in my chapters. Was getting too serious. Okay, now review! I'll see you next chapter! Gets emotional...and evil...and I'm suddenly pyrophobic due the next chapter...;–; Lord have mercy. So yeah: likey? no likey? Tell me in that review, Savvy? Good.

Peace.


	19. What's At Stake

Hey all! A six-day update, still a **lot** better than I've been known for, savvy? Oy, I have the good news and bad news: The good news is that I finally found out I'm not allergic to bees. The bad news is that I had to find out the hard, pointy way. Now my ear hurts. Does it hurt this much to get me ears pierced? Mebbe I could deal with it after all...not like I'd care, though. Anywho, teh horses were all freaking out and they were yelling at us to get out of the woods asap by any means necessary. I was calm through the turmoil, but once it was over, I was shaking like a leaf! (You'll see how that ties into the main character in this chapter) My first bee sting. Peachy, there goes my record of almost-sixteen years! ;–; ZOMG ArmoredSoul did this awesome fanart of Jack! The coloring is a bit off, as she said, but it looks absolutely marvelous! Check it out: httpCOLONSLASHSLASHz11DOTinvisionfreeDOTcomSLASHEndlessUNDERSCOREAnimeSLASHindexDOTphpQUESTIONMARKactEQUALSAttachANDSIGNtypeEQUALSpostANDSIGNidEQUALS3795531

...wow, that's a long one... But also: SO many reviews! We may reach my goal of 150 yet! SQUEE! -runs around in circles!- Now for the praise:

**ArmoredSoul:** Thanks for all the sweet reviews! Are you up to here yet, or am I just talking to air? Hullooo...Well, anyway, thanks for all the encouragement! Your drawing was really awesome, you're a great artist!

**Authoressinhiding:** I know! It seemed to get a wee bit boring, so I just put it in. It's kind of the only chapter I have left to do that with, so I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted!

**SamanthaSparrow:** Midget writer's block? Wtf? Oh no, NO MORE CONFETTI! I thought the war was over, Lol!

**Estel Ashlee Snape:** So was I! Thanks for the review, it made me smile. XD

**pirateobsessed:** Sorry, unlimited amount of wishes is not within my minute power of...powerfullness...ness, savvy? Dream up something else. XP

**obbits14:** Here, here! Here's what happens next! Insane...insane is fuuunnnn...

**Jess is a pirate:** If you can believe it, **_I_** was also shy quiet and not random. That was **_YOUR_** fault, savvy? Thank you! x3 RAVE!

**marauder4ever:** He is a seventeen-three hand brown stallion with black points and a narrow white blaze that begins in a star and shades off into the black skin on his muzzle. He has a relatively short back, long legs and ears. Breeding? ..hmm...He's a mixbreed, that's really all I know. Mebbe a little bit of Arabian in him, for the short back and all of that and I dunno...-shrugs- you'll just have to guess on that, eh? Thanks for the review!

**Molly:** The best things come in small packages. Btw, ffnet messes up url's. If you need more proof, scroll up to that one link... Lol!

**Noyesgirl:** Lol, new reviewer! Yayy! -runs around in circles- Just goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover...or...erm...a fic by its title? ...yeah...anywho, thankee much for the review!

**Kei-Ookami.kara.mori:** Me too! Here's your update!

**Little Miss Sparrow:** I acknowledge and agree with that, but that was probably the last chance I had to be random, so I used it very profusely. Besides that, I was celebrating for James' initial break of sanity! Thanks for the review, this one should be serious enough...

**Destinysway114:** Good, glad I made you happy. Sorry, though, no more random for a bit. ;–;

**passionatepirate:** You know, you seem familiar to me, too...weird...anywho, that's so sweet! Me? Inspining? ...never woulda seen that one, lol, thanks for the review! -runs in more circles-

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen (nineteen! Zomg...): What's At Stake**

"Commodore!" The three froze, and turned to see that they had been unknowingly surrounded by soldiers. Captain Gillette stepped forward. "What's this? Mingling with pirates?" He looked pointedly at the girl. "And their—."

"That will be quite enough from you, Gillette," James interrupted, voice a deadly calm. "I tasted piracy once, and I do not intend to do so again, understand?" The officer nodded, eyes wide at the burn of his superior's glare.

However, other tongues had not been silenced. "How do we know this to be truth, _Commodore?_" demanded one fool of a soldier. "You leave with that girl and no warning nor alerting of your actions or intentions, leaving us guessing and completely clueless as to what had happened to our 'beloved' Commander, and you return to us with a wanted pirate and some—." James turned and covered her ears at this. She could see the soldier's lips moving, forming ill words, and saw James close his eyes and physically bite his tongue, saw his shoulders stiffen. Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears as the insults rained down upon her nephew. She dared move his hands away, taking a hold of one and giving it a reassuring squeeze. He blinked his eyes open and smiled humorlessly at her, before straightening and turning back to the company.

"And who else among you feels this way?"

Nobody but the first stepped forward. James, however, was less than flattered by what appeared to be loyalty. He'd heard several murmured agreements among words. "Sir," Lieutenant Groves piped up, breaking the silence that had ensued and quickly changing the subject. "What of Sparrow? Shall we place him in the gaol?"

James' head snapped around, and he met the pirate's shocked expression with a look that said 'I-have-some-haggling-to-do,' and nodded for said order to be carried out. "And what of the girl? A merchant says she stole his cart and cost him a month's wages in cabbages."

In James' silence as he fought to find a believeable excuse, Gillette saw fit to answer for him, thinking it a favor. "The gaol with her, too. We'll hold a trial for her in a few days and learn her sentence. Take them away." Ellie's head shot up in alarm as several soldiers restrained the surprisingly calm pair and led them away into the night.

—————

Jack and Amy were led to the gaol. As the unusually full jail cells came into view, the girl baulked. A bayonet met her back and she jumped forward with a yelp. Jack put an arm round her shoulder and rubbed her arm reassuringly. 'It'll be all right,' he signed. 'I won't let them hurt you, luv.'

An officer, mistaking his gestures for something threatening, pinned Jack's arms behind him and belatedly slapped his wrists into a pair of irons. He stayed completely calm, however, even making faces, anything to keep the girl away from hysterics. She managed to smile weakly at him, ignoring the catcalls and whistles as they passed cell after cell of men doomed to die, desperate for one last glimmer of life before they would be cruelly thrown out of the only world any would ever know. They came to two empty cells at the very end of the row of cages. Yes. _Cages_, the precise metaphor she thought to Jack, and she huddled closer to him as the soldiers brought out the keys. They shoved her toward the nearest cell, other prisoners already straining against the walls of their cell to get at her. Eyes widening, she cried, "Jack!" for an odd fear of separation. The pirate struggled away from the other soldiers, before jumping over his hands and catching her shoulder for balance. Glaring at the troops, he turned her and walked her to the cell at the very end, gesturing that they would be sharing this one. Groves looked to Gillette, who shrugged nonchalantly, and unlocked said second cell. Jack's irons were removed, and the two were thrown unceremoniously into their confinement.

"You're in luck, Sparrow," said thatpompous foolGillette. "With so many men in line for the gallows, you may have the chance to see your _girl_," he almost spat the word, "tried and condemned. Too bad for you, there will be no escape this time." With a nod to his soldiers, the company departed.

"Jack? What are we going to do?" asked the girl, leaning against the pirate's shoulder as he sat beside her.

He wrapped a steady, protective arm around her. 'I don't know, luv.'

—————

It was within the next day that Jack became a horse, not out of need but rather out of experiment. _You're sure you weren't thinking the same as I was?_ he nickered.

"Yes. Absolutely." She took his antics as some distraction from present predicaments, and appreciated them greatly. _And yet we are still connected mentally. That's interesting..._

_Very interesting. Oh well, what one does not understand cannot hurt one so badly, can it?_

"No...I suppose not..." A light breeze swept through the gaol, providing a welcome coolth in the heat as he changed back, shrugging off the shouts of shock and surprise from the prisoners in sight of said event. Once they had quieted, she began to hum the Davey Jones theme. Jack hugged her to his side and they swayed gently to the beat. However, they were unaware of one set of eyes that happened to not be confined.

—————

"Sir, it's a witch that must be haunting us!"

"I understand your worry, Mr Stein, but it is rather difficult to convict a witch without any proof."

"I have proof, Mr Welsh!"

"Which you have yet to explain to me." The conversation was between a very familiar soldier and a very well-respected puritan former-general. The latter was a John Welsh, dark-haired, bright eyes, appearing young save for the creases about his brow which could only be discerned at a close scrutiny. Amiable, easy to get along with, and appearing to be probably one of the most respected men around, save only for the Commodore and Governor. "Let's hear it."

"That Jack Sparrow—he turned into a horse today, and back again. I saw it with my own eyes! The wind kicked up and dust billowed around him and when it cleared, he was changed! And he speaks with his hands, which I noted last night upon their capture. She must have enchanted him, and then taken away his ability to speak so that no one might know her secret."

Stein looked to Welsh for signs of disapproval or disbelief. "Go on."

"And before I left, she began to sing. I shut my ears to the sound, but that pirate did the opposite—sir, he _hugged_ her. And the rest of the gaol, which had been in turmoil at his changing, suddenly quieted as if to listen."

"That is enough, Mr Stein. Your account shows clear what the truth is. I'll take you as a witness. Come, while the day is still young. We have ourselves a town full of people to rally!"

—————

It was as the sun was reaching out to touch the far horizon that they came.

A rather raucous mob of townsfolk were audible outside the gaol from Amy and Jack's 'cozy' little cage. A sudden sense of foreboding had the girl on her feet in an instant. Making communication easier in her distress, Jack thought to her rather than signed. _What is it? What's wrong?_

"I don't know. There are a lot of people outside, and something tells me they're not here for a tea party."

_Aye. ...But at least there would be plenty of finger sandwiches._

"Yes. And somehow, I think I'm the caterer. Jack what's going on out there?"

He met her panicked gaze with an apprehensive one. _Luv...to be honest, I have no idea._

They both jumped as the doors to the building's entrance slammed open, and several footsteps could be heard hurrying nearer. "There, that's the girl!" The source of the traitorous voice could only have been one of the few soldiers among them, one recognizeable from the previous night: George Stein. He unlocked the door to the cell and several of the several there rushed in and restrained her.

She looked wide-eyed at the pirate. "Jack! Please, help!"

"Foolish witch, there is nothing your slave can do to save you now." She froze at the word witch, but then calmed somewhat at the secret exchange of thoughts she was sharing with the inequitably named 'slave,' and kept at the ready as they forced her away. With a snort, the wind picked up, coursing through the building. With the dust blown in their eyes, a few barely had enough time to jump out of the way as a large horse barreled its way through the small crowd. The girl, entirely prepared for such an action, grabbed onto his neck and scrambled onto his back as he raced away.

Up the steps they climbed until they broke through the barrier between hope and desolation, into the slowly dimming sunlight. Jack's mane blew back in the wind, whipping at her face and stinging her cheeks. And for that moment she allowed herself to smile, to be filled with joy at such a freedom as she suddenly felt now. That is to say, until she heard shouts all around her. Pulling back into reality, she urged Jack to go faster, holding on for dear life. But someone with a lariat brought that to a halt. It settled over her shoulders and tightened. As Jack surged on, Amy was pulled from her perch atop his back. He swerved through the crowd, disappearing into the distance, oblivious to the girl's fate as she was caught by cruel hands and carried away, fighting and pleading.

—————

James stepped out of his house at the sound of a rather obnoxious commotion, adjusting the coat of his recently donned uniform, still unshaven since his return. He nearly dropped the wig in his hand at the sight of an enraged mob of townsfolk seeming to swarm like agitated bees around a single figure, dragging it as war ants drag their prey toward some open point on the beach, near the surf. He rushed into their midst, about to shout for order when he came upon which person the chaos was centered around: Amy. He froze. Just completely froze, eyes wide, watching as the girl was dragged away. The crowd parted, and she was hoisted up into the hands of one man he had at some point in the recent past placed a very good amount of trust in. One man with whom the same thing had apparently occurred with everyone else in town, wherein he'd used that trust to misguide them in their thoughts toward the lass. Welsh stood atop a wooden platform, made out of what really looked like a random pile of wood. At its center stood a single post, like a limbless tree amid the desolation of winter. His eyes widened further as he recognized what the structure was. But here he was, so rooted to the spot at watching some sick re-enactment of that day he so wanted to forget that there was nothing he could do but watch.

Amy, meanwhile, had fought down all feeling, face emotionless as her hands were roughly tied behind her to the stake. There was a man up on the platform with her, and she supposed he must be a very well-respected force in the town when their riotous shouts were silenced with a simple raise of a hand. "Be it known that today; Monday, June seventeenth, in the year of our Lord one-thousand-seven-hundred-three-and-seventy, witnesses have claimed that this girl," he gestured to her behind him, "has committed several acts of witchcraft and devilry, and is to be burned at the stake until dead if voted guilty." He suddenly whirled around to face her. "How do you plead?"

"On my hands and knees: Innocent!"

He turned back to the crowd. "And what say you?"

"Witch! Witch! Witch!" they chanted.

"Oh come on, don't you think that if I were a witch, I would have 'poofed' myself out of here by now?"

"Come, child, your lies won't work here. Then let it be known that this girl,henceforthto be referred to as Sarah Smith, has been tried and convicted for witchcraft, and will now hereby be sent to burn for all eternity in the fires of Hell!"

"But that wasn't a trial! That was just a bunch of misguidance and unfair play!"

"Quiet, witch!"

"Witch! Witch!"

She bit back the urge to shout obscenities and instead bowed her head, letting the tears fall silently as she finally understood her fate. Stein handed the man a burning torch, which he held high in pride. The crowd cheered. She raised her face to the heavens. "God have mercy," she whispered.

"Foolish witch. The Father wants nothing to do with the children of Satan!" He jumped nimbly from the platform and held the torch to the oiled wood sticking out from its edges. They caught quickly, and she was soon surrounded by a circular torrent of fire. It could only be a matter ofminutes before they reached her. She stared into the flames that would be her death, eyes never leaving them, as if entranced by them. How could something so beautiful be so deadly? _Kind of like Jack,_ she thought wearily. And then, someone had jumped through the flames to her side. _Speak of the devil..._ The person cut through her bounds and picked her up with strong arms, jumping with her off the bonfire and away from that wretched fate. She looked up detachedly and saw Jack.

However, the crowd quickly figured out what had happened, and stormed toward the pair, cornering them against the ocean. Jack drew his cutlass and pointed it at them, though, still weak from lack of nutrition, he knew he would be no match. He would have to talk his way out. _Voice...don't fail me now..._ He took a deep breath. "This is the day you will always remember as the day that a _pirate_ was appalled by the _townsfolk_ and their actions! You all should be ashamed, trying to kill an innocent lass. What would you gain by that but a tumultuous conscience? The girl is not a witch! Anyone with eyes can see that! Savvy?"

The front line paused, surprised at his words, before Stein shouted, "He is still under her spell! Do not listen to his lies!" And they advanced.

Jack shoved the girl behind him, leaning into a fighting stance, cutlass at the ready. There was no way out. The girl was in no condition to swim, and he was in no condition to fight. There had to be another way. He spotted James, standing rooted to the spot several yards away, watching as if in some sort of trance. He gave the man a pleading look, mouthing "She needs you," and gesturing at the girl who kneeled disengaged behind him. The Commodore merely blinked slowly, hardly stirring. The crowd continued forth, and the pirate drew his pistol, pointing it also at them. Perhaps if he took one or two out, the rest would come to a halt. But he didn't see that as likely.

Ellie stood some way off, watching the events unfold. At first, it had been almost exactly like his mother's death, first with a trial of similar proportions and fairness, then with the chanting of lies: Witch. Now...now it hit him...another family member, the closest thing he had to family, was about to be eliminated in the same way his mother had. He snapped back to reality, feeling flooding back into his body, and he looked around for some means of distraction, or perhaps an idea. But...if he went against the townspeople, it would be his job burning at the stake...the job that he had betrayed friends for just so he could get it back. It was familiar. Familiar was his comfort zone. But in such an event as this, there was no such thing as a comfort zone. _Besides_, said a small voice in his head, _which is more important? Your profession or your family?_ With a blink, he realized it spoke the truth, and jumped into action.

"Have you not heard the stories, mates? Corner Captain Jack Sparrow and you're as good as dead. And if you think I am full of empty threats then step forward and see for yourself—Go on! I dare you!" But the threat, empty though it really was, seemed wasted on most of the riot. They continued toward him and the girl.

Then, out of nowhere, James jumped in beside him, sword also drawn. There were several cheers, rioters believing him on their side and finally about to put an end to Jack Sparrow when he pointed his blade at them, brandishing it slightly so that the setting sun gleamed along its sharpened edges. The crowd came to a standstill. "You. Will. Not. Touch. Her."

"But sir—!"

"No! You're fired."

"You can't—."

"I just did. Now get out of my sight, you wretched fool, before I shoot you myself!" Stein scrambled away, eyes wide, never to be seen again. "And you, Mr Welsh...you are hereby under arrest for violent conduct and, though it's not necessarily against the law, using the trust everyone had in you against an innocent mind. Take him away." The soldiers among the group, suddenly looking ashamed, led him away toward the gaol. He put his sword away and stooped by the girl, laying a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Amy?" She suddenly began to tremble, and tears once again made the journey down her face. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?" Without warning, she turned and hugged him, sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back soothingly—something he hadn't known he knew how to do. "There there, it's all right, now." Her grip only tightened, seeming as if she might never let go. He heard footsteps approaching and whipped out his pistol, cocking it and aiming it.

He turned his head to see the Governor, clearly shocked at having such a trusted friend point a firearm at him. "Commodore, what is all this?"

"Move. Away," came the reply through gritted teeth. The governor paled, but rather at his eyes than his tone—they had grown an almost black with rage, no longer possible to discern for what their true color was.

He did as told, stepping back a few paces. "As I said, Commodore, what is the meaning of all this madness?"

"I believe you have met John Welsh, Governor Swann?"

"Yes. Fine fellow."

"Had him arrested just moments ago."

Swann looked confused. "For what, dare I ask?"

"For rallying these people, misguiding them into thinking my niece here is a witch, and trying to burn her at the stake."

At this, the governor blanched. "No, not Mr Welsh, of all men..."

"It's true, mate," said Jack, coming and stooping down by the two to try and comfort the girl, a hand going to her arm. "Put it away, James. He's not looking to hurt her. And if he is, I'll run him through meself, savvy?" James' eyes darted from the pirate to the governor and back, before he nodded and put away his pistol.

The girl had fallen quiet during the conversation, and now shifted her head slightly. "James?"

He looked down at her, eyes growing soft. "Yes?"

She touched a heart-shaped locket attatched to a chain around his neck. "How long have you had this locket?"

"My mother gave it to me the day she died. Why?"

"I think I just solved the riddle of her diary."

* * *

Oki so there you have it, the longest chapter in the fic! Only a couple chapters left! REVIEW! Savvy? 


	20. Hannah's Diary Unlocked

ZOMG! Mates...my goal for this fic, seeing as how it's my first, was 150 reviews. Imagine my joy at finding 153 when I next checked my stats! And 16 reviews for this chapter! That's the most ever. EVER! Oi... -swoons- Hmm...two chapters and prologue(s) left...Is two hundred over-shooting? Let's wait and see. o.o

Anywho, replies and praise will come at the end of this chapter, so that the people who _didn't_ review can get on with the chapter. Mean. -sticks out tongue-

Enjoy.

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**Chapter Twenty: Mysteries solved, Hannah's Diary Unlocked**

The sun rose, casting a gentle glow through the windows of the kitchen. Elizabeth walked to the dining table with a tantalizing tray of breakfasts. Normally, the cook would have taken care of this instead, but, being the do-it-yourself kind of woman she is, Mrs. Turner had given the other woman the day off. Amy, Will, Jack and James sat around the table. The girl smiled her thanks up at the older woman, a smile which lit up her face.

Will leaned in with the other men at the opposite end of the table and murmured, "She looks like a little angel when she beams like that."

"An angel she may be, but don't let it fool you," James replied.

"Bit of a crooked halo, if ye know what I mean, mate. She's got a set of horns hidden in that mane."

"Ah."

It had been two days since the 'incident,' and the girl finally seemed to have settled. She, herself, was personally glad her mind had detached itself from the events. She didn't want the memories to be as vivid. Besides...with less real detail, she would have more room to stretch the truth when she told one of those life stories and such. Heh. She sent up a simple yet meaningful 'thank you' in grace before eating a forkful of the eggs. She sighed. She hated to ruin the moment with unwanted memories, but things had gone unsaid and unasked since that day, things which were of relative importance. _I smell an opportune moment,_ she thought to herself. She felt something stir in there with some air of agreement, and knew Jack had been reading her thoughts again. He'd been doing this often for the past couple of days, so that he would know when she needed comforting and when she needed to be alone. Their gazes met, and he blinked understandingly. "So, Jack...I've been curious..."

"That's never good," he grinned lopsidedly at her. "About what?"

"How did you get your voice back?"

"I..." he fell silent, pondering. "It was when I truly _needed_ speech that it returned. It wasn't until I—" he cleared his throat "—until I spoke through my heart instead of my cunning that I could speak again—," he stopped dead at such words tumbling from his own lips as rain streams from the roof in a downpour. "...And what of you?" he quickly changed the subject. "You said you had solved the mystery of Hannah's diary?"

"Hannah? Was that her name?" Her voice hushed at this.

"Aye," he answered softly, eyes darting to James' a moment.

_The man knows almost **too** much about my mother..._the latter thought to himself.

"Yes," she regressed back to the question, "I think I may have, as a matter of fact. James, may I see your mother's locket, please?" He nodded, unclipping the silver chain from around his neck and handing it gently to her. She studied it a moment as it gleamed in the sunlight. It was a silver, heart-shaped locket, about an inch by an inch, with delicate etchings of a sunset over the sea. A sunset that looked very...very familiar. "J-Jack?" He looked away. "This...this is the sunset from your tattoo." All motion or thought toward eating stopped, and the room became still and silent, every eye trained on the 'accused.'

"So it is," the pirate whispered, still not looking at anyone.

James' brows came together. "But...how?..."

All eyes silently looked back to Jack. "Hannah adopted me when I was...naught more than a tot, really...I had gotten separated from my own parents, and she and her husband came across me one morning and took me in. I stayed with them for a couple of years," his tone became almost sarcastic. Standard, "until one day, lo and behold, me parents saw fit to find our little town and we were reunited at long last. James, here, was not much younger than I—maybe three, four years old—when I left."

"Really?" she asked.

He gestured vaugely with one hand. "Something like that."

"So...then that solves the mystery of the boy from some of my earliest memories, doesn't it," James nodded. "...But...why did you use the sunset from her locket?"

"It was the first thing that came to mind whenever I thought about her. She never went anywhere without it. When I got me tattoo, I thought back on what freedom was to me, and my first thought was the sea, and my second was..." his voice suddenly hushed, as if he were afraid for anyone to hear...almost as if he himself was afraid to hear these words as he hesitated to speak, "...the second was the love of a family. And that little locket symbolized both to me."

"So then you two were almost like brothers, way back when," the lass whispered reverently. James' jaw dropped, and he fell back in his chair, expression becoming that of clear skock and unease. Seeing this, she veered their conversation back on track. "Have you ever opened it, James?" He shook his head detachedly, mouth still agape, eyes unfocused. She reached forward and closed it for him. He blinked and flushed slightly, a ghost of a smile passing across his face like a shadow. "Well...here goes..." She carefully pried open the locket.

Out fell a folded piece of parchment. Her eyes widened, and she set the locket on the table to examine said parchment. Picking it up and unfolding the tiny triangle with utmost care, she scanned her eyes over the almost-familiar handwriting, noting as she did so that it had been written around the creases, as if the writer had anticipated that it would be a long time before the folds would be undone. Amy closed her eyes, placing the note back on the table, and was silent a moment. She looked almost as if she were about to cry before her face split into a large grin, eyes blinking open to glint at her friends across from her. "What is it?" Will asked the question on everyone's tongue.

"It's...it has instructions on how to travel from one world to another. I can finally go home!"

Jack and Norrington both shared her excited grin, but the smiles and laugher did not reach their eyes. Was she really so eager to be rid of them? And even if not, they were still sad to see her go. "You'll come visit, if you can?"

She laughed and hugged them close. "Only of course!" She released them, returned to her place, and, nibbling on a piece of bacon, carefully refolded the parchment.

Jack blinked his confusion. "Luv, won't you be needing that in order to go home?"

"Yes."

"Then why put it away?" enquired James.

"Unless ye have something else in mind...Eh?"

She grinned. Will almost looked worried. "You _do_ plan on leaving, don't you?"

"Yup."

"And when exactly might that be?"

"The day after tomorrow. I want another day with my boys before I go, savvy?"

Jack and James exchanged faux-nervous expressions, eyebrows raised. Boys? She referred to them—two fully-grown men at _least _twice her age—as a parent might of offspring. She was definitely getting used to the 'big happy family' idea. There was an almost excited silence, which James broke in answer to the unasked question: "I can always take a day off tomorrow."

"You rock, James. Like a headbanger," she grinned.

"Rave."

"Rave."

"Rave!" the three finished in unison.

And in the amused silence of Elizabeth, and that bewildered of Will, they returned to their breakfasts. The Governor strolled in minutes later. "Good day, everyone."

"Good day," the room replied. Even Jack. Yet the Governor seemed somehow indifferent to the fact that a notorious pirate had taken up temporary residence in his mansion, and was now eating breakfast in his kitchen.

"And how are we feeling this morning?" he asked Ames cheerfully. "Better, I should hope."

"Much. Thank you so much—for everything, Gov'ner Swann, I appreciate it a lot." He smiled at this. The man really was a good person, she decided. She had expected him to be some pompous, stuck-up, tight-laced powderpuff, but some expectations are made to not be met. And for this once, she was glad for it.

X

The day passed slowly, everyone taking a break to breathe—save for James who, while still breathing a breath of relief like everyone else, had work what needed doing for this day. But even for him, it was a relief to get back to somewhat of a 'normality.' For the next day would definitely prove to be out of said norm.

...Or so everyone correctly assumed...

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Oki, review praise:

**Jess is a pirate:** One of those, but not the one I showed you. Wait, what? Nevermind, anywho, it's not THAT bad a cliffie, gawd! Lol xD

**SamanthaSparrow**: Ack. See the last sentence for Jess is a pirate. Serisously, people, it's **not that bad**. Oy. Ahh, confetti! -shoots back- CONFETTI WAR!

**Noyesgirl:** Same here, same here. Had a nightmare about it after I posted it. Guess I'm a bit **too** into this, eh? Thanks for the sweet review!

**Authoressinhiding:** Somehow, I think that just by updating, you're outdoing me. Cuz now that I've got the climax out, I have a super case of block on this story.

**Estel Ashlee Snape: **As you can see, the answer lay in the chapter. Thanks for the review!

**marauder4ever:** Yeah, he is. Lol.

**Steel Plated Bambi:** Yeah, whenever I add words in 'edit' mode, they always run together when it gets posted. Guess I should start double spacing those words, eh? Thanks for the lovely review!

**ArmoredSoul:** It was well worth the effort! Thanks for the review!

**obbits14:** As I said, I'm glad to review your story! Thanks for the wonderful review, it madeth me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

**Kei-Ookami.kara.mori:** Glad you like it! Thanks for the review.

**pirateobsessed:** Well, I can't give you Jack, but I _can_ give you the next best thing: Congratulations! -confetti shoots- -fireworks- By the powers not invested in me but nonetheless commandeered, you now have your own, personal JackSparrowheadvoice, to talk to in your head and to make rude comments at life. And also to quelch your fangirliness. Yesh. Just like mine, only yours. xD

**Little Miss Sparrow:** Yes, a pun. 'Couldn't resist, mate.' And to answer your question: I hope you paid attention while reading, lol! Yeah, you did sound a bit like a critic, but that's oki, cuz it was positive! Squee!

**Stormwake:** Yayy, a new reviewer! Squee! Here's your update!

**passionatepirate:** Mate, it's not about are you good or not, it's about the writing. If you truly enjoy writing, then writing is for you. If not, then, well, I guess it would be a no. hope that helps a bit, and thanks for the review.

**Molly:** As a matter of fact I **did** email you. It's a matter of whether or not you **checked **your email, savvy? And I emailed you for this chapter, too, savvy? I take it you were riding Grace. Nice! And yes, he's an absolute dream. He. As in the one in your review. Go reread it if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

**ReapectTheSporks:** It's fine, moving is always an issue, I understand perfectly. SQUEE rum, cookies, and gold! Perfect! ...but where's teh Coke? Lol, thanks for the review!

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All right, you reviewed, and now I ask you to review again. Even you shadowers (nautical term!), savvy?

P.S. Next chapter may be subject to shortness. Only two chapters left, people, review while you can!


	21. To Fly

Sorry about the wait—writer's block and marching band have taken their toll. Anywho, marching camp ends on Wednesday, and then I have about three week ways free before school starts. Yay. -sigh- That aside, I'm exhausted and sore. Reviews would be appreciated, and thanks to those who do.

**Disclaimer:** Wow, I've been forgetting this for the past couple of chapters. o.o;  
Me: Words. This is a bunch of words.  
Tia: Yes.  
Me: Will the...bunch of words help?  
Tia: If ye don't want it, give it back.  
Me: -hugs closer- No.  
Tia: Den it helps.

Enjoy.

**Chapter Twenty-One: Run Free; One More Adventure**

The new day started with a brilliant sunrise in the dense jungles of Port Royal. And a welcome yet familiar breeze. Jack now stood, equine, before Ames and James, who was dressed very casually—no wig, no uniform, just trousers, boots, shirt...that's about it... "All righty then! First thing's first: teach Ellie how to ride."

James sent a nervous glance her way. "Is Jack all right with this?"

"Coke truck! ...Yeah." She led them to a rather large stump and directed them appropriately—James to climb on top of it, and Jack to stand next to it. "All right, James, time to mount." He blanched. "What?"

"Surely nothing but your choice of words and the given circumstances related to Jack."

She pondered a moment, before realization dawned with a light blush and an "Oh." She gave them apologetic looks. "Sorry, forgot how cold and unaccepting this world is in that aspect. No, where I come from, people don't die for falling in _love_." Her eyes flashed dangerously, as did her tone. "_Savvy?_"

_I can see that you've got some very strong feelings that have been pent up through numerous occasions, happenings, and/or debates which have long been waiting to be manifested for all the world to in some way shape or form understand...eh?_

She blinked. ...And blinked again. "Yep. Now come on, let's have some fun!" The two 'men' looked relieved, and shared her grin. "James; on. Jack; no funny business, all right?"

He snorted. _Fine. -,-_

"Good."

James took a deep breath, and let it out with a _whoosh_, along with all his worries. "All right," he murmured to himself, placing a hand on Jack's withers. With a grunt, he vaulted high up onto the horse's back.

"Shift a little farther forward. ...Not that far! Geeze, don't wanna -hurt- yourself." He winced and shifted farther back. "Good. Now, we mustn't dilly, or dally." She began to circle them. "Because we have an enormous number of things to do before the day is out. But luckily for us, we have the Great Glass Elevator to speed things alo—" She suddenly fell backwards, as if having walked into something, before slowly standing and continuing halfheartedly, "...speed things along."

It was an odd voice, high and yet not...kind of like an impression of a man's falsetto. The stallion and rider exchanged bewildered expressions. "Eheheh...yes...shall we be moving along then?"

And so, with Amy's careful guidance and Jack's 'helpful' input, James received his second-ever (counting that one time when his ship made port in Brazil when he was still a mere swabbie) horseback riding lesson. "Well?" she asked with an excitedly knowing grin as he dismounted. "What do you think?"

"Aside from how sore I'll be later?" he asked morosely. Her smile started to fade. Contrarily, he broke into a wide grin. "It's definitely something I hope to do again. And I have you to thank for properly introducing me to it. ...And...I guess I should be thanking Jack as well for his...services...and patience..." He patted the stallion tentatively on the shoulder.

Jack bobbed his head. _And now it's Amy's turn._

"I can ride later. How about tag?" She sent him some images from 'Spirit,' and he quickly caught on, bobbing his head eagerly, ears pricking forward. And he took off a few strides, the lass following hot on his heels and lunging at him as he turned back. He jumped out of the way and leaped toward her instead. She twisted around to jump out of the way. James sat with a contented sigh to watch them 'play'. Jack circled her at a light canter. She chased him with her eyes before lunging out to tag him. But he nimbly jumped and avoided her hand. He whinnied his laughter, surprised in the back of his mind that he would be enjoying somthing like this the way he was. And while he was preoccupied with his gigglesnorts (xP), she took off running across the clearing. He gave chase. With a somersault, she landed flat on her back, eyes closed, unmoving. Jack quickly caught up and slowed to a stop, ears pricking forward with concern, sniffing at her face. Had her foot been acting up again? Or her arm? Then, without warning, she took a deep breath and blew it in his face. He squealed his surprise and laughed with her before the two made their way back to James.

The Commodore regarded them thoughtfully. "You know...you two look like you belong together when you do that. Like you've known one another for a lifetime."

The girl and horse exchanged glances. "We are so very much alike, he and I... I and him...us." Ellie rolled his eyes. "No. Probably not. But seriously, horses do that. They find that one thing in you that'll click right in with them, and from there it is nothing more than a mutual respect and understanding." The man nodded agreement, features etched in a somewhat proud comprehension.

———————

As the hours eased into the afternoon, the day found the three lying on the beach in a triangular fashion, heads together, watching the clouds go by. "All right, Ellie," Jack spoke. "Your turn; What do _you_ most want to do in your lifetime?"

He answered immediately: "To be the best man I can be. And from the looks of three days'...of our mishaps, rather, I would say I have a very long way to go." Jack smirked. There was a meditative silence before James leaned up on his arms in the sand and looked at the girl. "And you, Amy?"

Jack sat up, also, following suit. "What do you want to do most, luv?" he asked softly, thinking he already knew the answer.

There was a silence as her mind wandered to past dreams and hopes. "Fly." She blinked her eyes up and saw James' bemused expression, and that surprised of Jack. _Perhaps I can find a way to Neverland one day,_ she thought wistfully. And with that, she smiled to herself. "Did I ever mention you two are the absolute best?"

"Really," Jack smirked. "Do go on, darling."

"Halt!" The three looked up to see Gillette and his company. On horseback, nonetheless.

"Jack Sparrow is still in Port Royal. As I told you, sir."

The Captain nodded. "And his thieving girl, too. Men: Take them."

"But what of the third?"

He turned back to the pirates. "What third?"

By now, James had scrambled out of sight, and was hidden safely in a coconut palm. Jack turned to Ames. "Run."

"What?"

"It's the bloody Navy! Go on!" And with that, he shoved her toward the jungle, and she took off. Moments later, the Navy was battling the sand blown in their eyes by a sudden gust of wind, and barely looked up in time to see a horse racing after her.

"The stallion is Sparrow. The girl is no witch, we all know that. He must have set some curse upon himself again. After them!" They gave chase, and were quickly gaining ground.

_Quick! Get on!_ She jumped and grabbed hold of his neck, trying desperately to climb onto his back, but she couldn't. As Jack passed by the stump they'd used earlier as a mounting block, she vaulted off of it, high onto his back, and they raced on.

They swerved through the trees, a couple of the cavalry drawing nearer, til they were hot on Jack's heels. He swerved sharply to the right, through the denser trees, off the beaten path. She ducked. There was a thud moments later; A low-hanging branch had dismounted one unsuspecting soldier, and his horse spooked and took off in a completely different direction. Jack whinnied his laughter and continued on as the other began to catch up. Closer and closer the sable stallion lured the soldier, until the girl reached up and pulled at a branch as they rushed by. She let it go, and with a _snap!_ it whipped back, catching the soldier and throwing him from his horse.

As they swerved to the left to avoid a boulder, yet another mounted soldier jumped out from the trees to pursue them. Jack raced the other horse, only to suddenly skid to a stop and veer sharply to the right, Amy's momentum nearly toppling her over his shoulder. They had come to the edge of a deep ravine, with only a narrow path along its lip, the trees beyond too dense to go through. So there was only one path they could take. Just wide enough for two galloping horses. The soldier puller up beside them, the closer one to the trees, putting Jack and Amy on the edge of the ravine. She stared at the soldier. The soldier glared at her. Inevitably their gazes met. And, like that, she knew what he was about to do, and ducked just in time as a hand came out to push her off the stallion. She flattened herself against Jack's withers as the soldier, carried by his momentum, fell off his horse, over Jack, and over the edge. With a glance over her shoulder, she saw that he had caught the edge and was heaving himself back up. _Good, he wasn't hurt,_ thought she as they raced on.

She urged him faster, and faster he went, until he skidded suddenly to a halt at the top of an upraised outcropping. With the ravine on one side, and a sharp rock formation on the other, there was nowhere to run. Moments later, they both heard the nearing pounding of hoofbeats as Gillette and the remaining two of his company caught up to them.

———————

Captain Gillette was caught off-guard by a sudden cliff in the path past the ravine, forcing his company to slide to a halt. They looked all around, but could see nowhere that the pirate and rider could have gone. "There they are! Up there!" cried one soldier, pointing to the top of a large rock formation. Sure enough, the dark stallion was running along a path he'd found leading to the top.

———————

Jack stopped at the top, looking left and right. It led to ground level via a gently sloping hill. However, at its other end was a sheer cliff, the ravine gaping beyond. Perhaps they should turn back now. ...If they could just get to the bottom of the hill before the marines did, they might have a chance. But no, they could hear the far off thunder of hoofbeats, and knew the company had already reached the base of the hill. They didn't have much time.

He whipped his head around, desperate to find an escape. Then he spotted it, ears pricking forward. It was a long shot...No. His decision was made; it was the only way. _I think your dream of flying might be about to come true, luv..._

He backed up to the end of the most level part of the rock formation, until his hind hooves were very near sliding off the edge. And he stopped. Just completely stopped, breathing heavily. "Jack?" she leaned over to look at him. It was then that she noticed his distinctly fixed gaze and followed it. And quickly figured out what he was scheming. It was impossible. Well...improbable, to say the very least. Her expression turned to 'severe concern', and she groaned: "Oh no."

_Oh yes,_ Jack thought in return, before falling silent and shutting his eyes tight. Thus they stood, several long moments passing, silent, the ever-nearing drumming growing closer and closer.

Then it happened. Jack's eyes flew open with a fire of determination burning wildly in their fathomless depths, and with a small sound launched himself as fast as he could go. Grunting with each stride, he sped faster and faster toward the edge of the cliff. If she estimated the twenty lengths to the other side of the ravine, Amy said nothing, only matching his determination and holding on for dear life as she rode along with him. The distance between them and the cliff rapidly shrank. Five strides...Three. Two. One. And with a powerful kick, Captain Jack Sparrow, a sable stallion, launched himself off the cliff with all his might.

And they were soaring through the air. The wind whipped past them, around them. And it was amazing. And it was freedom. Amy momentarily let go of his mane and outstretched her arms above her, whooping for joy at such the experience of flight. Encouraged by her enthusiasm, he extended himself as far as he could go, as the other side of the ravine drew closer. However, he had misjudged the difference in elevation between the cliff and the edge, and instead of landing properly, stumbled and skidded to a halt safe in the grass, sending Amy flying and rolling to a stop beside him. They both struggled to their knees, the girl's hand going to the horse's neck for support as they panted for breath. Their gazes slowly met, and they smiled momentarily at their feat before they heard a distant "Halt!" and looked to see Gillette and what remained of his company (only two) standing at the top of the cliff. The two turned to look, and even at such a distance, they could see the shocked expressions of the three troops.

Jack quickly changed back, and he and the girl exchanged expressions of hardly-concealed grins. He stood up and cupped his hands to his mouth. "Another one day's head start, then?" he called.

"So be it then," Gillette waved his hat in response, then turned and led his men away.

This time, the pirate and Amy really did grin, and they jumped up, whooping and cheering for joy, sharing hugs, et cetera. A third whoop joined their voices, and her joy grew as James joined them. The cheers finally ended, and they sat in a triangular circle-type thing in the grass. "No way," Amy giggled. "No way, no way, no way. Yay for achieving the impossible! It's like you had wings, Jack."

"They don't call him 'Sparrow' for nothing," James replied with a chuckle.

"Aye," agreed Jack with a smirk. They three fell silent. "So...what now, eh?"

"I dunno, how about a swim?" Jack and James exchanged glances and shrugged, nodding their agreement. And so, they headed to the beach for an afternoon of salty goodness and fun.

It seemed only too soon that the sea and sky were turning a beautiful shade of gold, birds singing their last melodies before they would quiet for the night as the sun set. James sighed as the were moseying back toward the Turner mansion. "I don't know where the time goes..."

"Time flies when you're having fun."

"Kind of like we did, eh, luv?"

She grinned. "Yeah. Hey...guys?"

"Yes?" they both replied, turning back to face her.

"There's one last thing I'd like to do before we turn in for the night and see me off to another world in the morning."

"And what might that be?" asked Jack in a low, soft voice—one he had not used much before, but had become an almost constant when around the girl.

She gestured at the still-golden sky. "To sleep under the stars on the beach one more time with the two greatest guys in all the Carribean." She smiled with that sly look of hers, eyebrow raised slightly. "Savvy?"

They grinned in turn and agreed eagerly. And thus, the evening found them observing the moonrise out over the sea from the beach, sitting about a brightly burning 'campfire' of sorts. And as the night progressed and the stars grew bright, THE Commodore James Norrington was finally made to submit to the call of a certain very familiar song as Jack and Amy sang it, dancing around the fire:

_Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate's life for me!_

_We pillage, plunder, we rifle and loot,  
__Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!  
__We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot,  
__Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!_

_Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate's life for me!_

_We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack,  
__Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!  
__Maraud and embezzle and even hijack,  
__Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!_

_Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate's life for me!_

_We kindle and char and inflame and ignite,  
__Drink up me hearties, yo ho!  
__We burn up the city, we're really a fright,  
__Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!_

_Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate's life for me!_

_We're rascals and scoundrels, villains and knaves,  
__Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!  
__We're devils and black sheep and really bad eggs!  
__Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!_

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me!_

"I love this song! REALLY...BAD EGGS!" Jack and Amy cried in unison. He gave her an incredulous look. Did she really know him that well already? ...Or was he just that predictable? ...Or both? He shrugged to himself and vowed to leave such contemplation for another time. For now, the night was passing all too quickly, and before he knew it, the night would have left, and with it, his young friend.

As they settled for the night, the fire having been safely extinguished, (thank you, Smokey) the three huddled together, the girl in between the two who had come to mean so much to her. The two who had saved her life on more than one occasion. "So...y'know, we really are kind of a little family, right? I mean, James you're more like my nephew, but if I ever come back, I'll be your niece, just like you said...and Jack," her tone softened. "...You're kind of like my dad away from dad, aren't you. Love your parental instincts, or I woulda been thrown overboard a loong time ago...eh?"

"...Aye, I s'pose so."

"I promise: If I ever find a way to come and visit, I will. I just better not find out you've gone and tried to kill one another, all right?"

"Fine, yes," replied James.

"Aye."

"Wunderbar." She hugged them before making herself comfortable. "G'night, James."

"Good night."

"G'night, Jack."

"Good night, darling."

"Sleep tight. Don't let the sand fleas bite."

And moments later, all were still, and there was only a calm silence, a peace which was broken only by the soft singing of night insects and the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore. Jack was the last to fall asleep, as he lay there, next to this strange girl from another world who had somehow managed to come to mean so much to him. It would be such a shame to lose her, now... Thus were his final thoughts as sleep closed in around him...

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Oki, perhaps this chapter **isn't** so short after all! Wow! Seventeen reviews! Perhaps two hundred by story's end is not such a feat after all! Keep them coming! Praise:

**ArmoredSoul:** RAVE!

**Authoressinhiding: **Uhh...dotdotdot? Sure...le's go with that...

**Kei-Ookami.kara.mori:** Thanks for the review! That was so sweet.

**pirateobsessed:** Like I said, my powers are limited. Anywho, at least you got that. Mazeltav. --

**Noyesgirl:** You're welcome. And now I must thank you in turn for such the lovely review. Hmm...headbanger James, eh? Eheheh...

**obbits14:** Of course! ...But only at the opportune moment. Savvy?

**Destinysway114:** Don't worry, there'll be a plenty of sequels, fo' shizzle, ya dig? -facepalm- Nuu! No more urban! ;–; Anywho, yes: all good things must end, aye? Aye. RAVE!

**marauder4ever:** Ah, I take it you've got the new soundtrack! Good good good! Isn't it the absolute best! I have...like, half of it by memory...so if I'm bored and don't have my CD player, I can just play it in my head. Lol.

**passionatepirate:** You're welcome. But yes. That's why Jack is always rooting for James instead of Will. Their roots. Anywho, thanks for the review.

**Molly:** Yes, I forwarded an e-mail about this chapter to you. Ha. See you on Sunday, btw. Oh, and if you happen to read this on Saturday (me hopes!), then what do you want for your b-day? o.o See ya!

**Estel Ashlee Snape:** As you wish, faithful reviewer. -has conjured an update-

**TheDreamChild:** (cool name!) Wow...I didn't know **other** people had pet Norries...wait...what? ...Oh well, anywho, thanks for the review! Keep trying, they'll reach peace eventually. Just like with Jack, savvy?

**Stormwake: **Aye, I can see humor in a scene like that... xD Thanks for teh sweet review.

**SamanthaSparrow:** Yes, unfortunately. Now who'll want to stay aboard besides you with no big plot drop to keep them asking for more? What? No root beer! Why's the root gone! ...Oh well, how 'bout some -more- rum instead? CHEESE! SPLEEE! -glomphs-

**RespectTheSporks:** Yes, the fizzy kind that you drink. YAY COLA! Lol, thanks fer the review.

**Psalm136:** Yes, I'm writing a sequel. ...Eventually. Actually, I've got several in mind. Aye. And I agree: One, James is not heartless. Two, he's too darn good-looking to be a warthog, so just no. xD Lol. Welcome aboard, mate and new reviewer! Thanks for teh spiffeh review!

**Jess is a Pirate:** Hi! -waves frantically- Long time no type, eh? Lol, you'd **better** update soon, or I'll take the rum away! Believe me, mate, I can and will do it. Regardless of whatever Jimmy is scheming. Savvy? Anywho, what's all this then: "oh and i tared at asylum one i told you about." huh? Whatever, great to finally hear from you again. Oh wait...I just replied to your Fin review. -sweatdrop- oops. Well, now for this one: Rave! Yes, I'm now teh spiffeh Captain! PUDDING AHAHAHA! Oki, I'll stop now...

Thanks for all the reviews! Keep them coming, mates! One chapter left, though I _do_ have planned a prologue. ...or two... ...Possibly three, but that's not probable...

Review!


	22. Homeland

Oops! Aah, I made that mistake **twice**! In the author's notes at the ends of both the last chapter and that before, I put in the word 'prologue' instead of 'epilogue'. I meant epilogue, you can be sure! So I have an **epilogue** or two...possibly three, but that's not probable, planned for after this last chapter. Please excuse the confusion and/or mistakes. Or both. You get the idea.

Dicslaimer: Mouse pwns.

o.o This chapter is dedicated to Steve Irwin, and may he Rest In Peace. ;-;

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Flying on Angels' Wings**

'_To travel across the Realms, desire the most you must, and envision your destination exactly as you know it. Ask to be sent and sent you shall be. Wish and it will be fulfilled. But do not be afraid. Remember: "Just believe."'_

Amy stared in awe at the small piece of parchment, about the size of a three-by-five card. The quote from 'Finding Neverland' helped her understand what she had to do. "It was that simple," James murmured.

"I can't believe it..."

"You must," Jack replied instantly. "Else you'll never get to go home. Believe. It's all you need to do. I saw you falling from the sky the day you came here, and I never doubted it for a second."

"You were drunk."

"So?"

"Right, yeah, can't beat that logic. I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can, I know I ...can't! I can try to believe I'll be going back home, but deep down, there's just this gaping pit of doubt."

"Nonsense. You just haven't eaten breakfast yet." James raised an eyebrow at him.

"No. I mean it, Jack. I...I... "

"You're pushing yourself too hard," Jack murmured, coming to her and wrapping his arms comfortingly round her. All other words which tumbled from his mouth did not seem to be his own. "Just open your mind and your heart. Just believe. ...Have faith. Let your heart bring you home. ...Just believe."

James looked up, eyes misting over. "That's just what mother always used to say," he whispered. "She said that to me the day she died."

Jack stood slowly, and there was a glow about him. He raised his head, looking heavenward. "Open your heart..." he whispered, and the glow lifted him several inches off the ground. And, like torrents of aqua fireflies, the glow released him. He tumbled to the ground, and the other two rushed over to him, to make sure he was all right. There was a whisper, a voice, a song—something that cannot be put to words—behind them. They turned and saw her. With her blue-green glow hovered a form, light seeming to shine both on her and from her. "Just believe," she whispered, and it seemed a gentle wave of music spread over the girl.

"Hannah..." Amy breathed, smiling gently, waves of light rippling over her as if reflected off the water.

James blinked, eyes narrowing, filling with tears long forgotten. "Mother," he managed to choke out.

"I am always with you," whispered the angel, before her form dispersed into a beam of light. "Remember: You are never alone." The aqua light brightened, and the stream, the ribbon flowed in every which direction, embracing all of them. "Ask and you shall be answered." The three felt the warmth of her light. "Wish and it shall be granted." And her light flowed away from them, up into the clouds. "And never forget: You are never alone. Just believe." The glow left them completely, leaving them looking to the overcast heavens in wonder, drops from the gentle rain wetting their faces.

"Thank you," Amy managed to whisper, and the last hint of glow disappeared into the clouds. The three lowered their eyes.

James looked at the ground, age-old tears finally spilling. How he missed her! _Remember,_ whispered a light, a warmth inside of him, a warmth in his heart that he realized had always been there. _You are never alone_...

"James?" He looked up to see the girl from whom that being of light had been created, and blinked away the blurriness from his vision.

He smiled. "Come. Let's get you home."

"Right. Just let me..." she rummaged through her pockets. "Huh...where is it..." She was patting herself down, trying to find the small leather drawstring pouch she'd put it in. "Jack, did you—?" Her expression turned from slightly worried to humorous as she spotted the pouch dangling by its strings from Jack's fingers.

"Looking for this, luv?"

"Yep." She snatched it from him with a cheerful smile and loosened the strings, tipping it so that its contents fell out into her open palm. Out slid a very familiar piece of glass; the one that had at one point seen fit to embed itself in her foot. Recalling the hours after it had been removed, she remembered how well she could envision things within it. And such was the quality that she would need to picture her home. It had been so long, or so it felt. And some of her memories of her home were beginning to blur around the edges... She held it up to the light which escaped the dark clouds in a single small patch, pooling about her throat, and admired once again how the light played off of it, allowing herself to become lost in her own thoughts. This must be how the psychic's crystal ball worked, she mused. It was not that she saw her visions within it, but rather used it as a focusing tool to venture into dimensions beyond, to see things that others could not. Intriguing. "There," she whispered, more to herself than to Jack or James. Both, standing on either side of her, placed one hand on her shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut, unconsciously dropping the shard of glass, hand still outstretched toward the source of the ray of sunlight. "Please...take me back."

The wind kicked up violently, dust blown into the air. It whirled about them, spinning, twisting, lifting them up into the air. The skies opened up, and let loose a wild torrent of rain, pounding down on them as they suddenly rocketed toward the heavens. There was a bright flash, and everything went black. Moments later, they hit the ground(?) heavily. "Ow," grunted the girl.

Jack sat up, a hand going to his head, then feeling desperately around for his hat. Once he found it, he reunited it with his head and asked, "What happened?"

She blinked her eyes in the dark. Something felt different. "I dunno...where are we?"

"I've found a door," said James.

"Quick, open it and see where it goes."

"Wait." Both men turned to look at her. "I want to do it." They nodded respectfully and stepped aside in the pitch darkness. She felt her way in the direction of the creaks the floor made as they shifted their positions, and saw it: a very faint but still, though barely, visible line of dim light shining through the crack under the door. She felt for the doorframe and soon found the knob. Slowly, slowly, she turned it. But she hesitated, and instead of opening it, she put her hand on the wall and slid something. Light appeared from a floating source above, and the two men started and gaped up at the four bulbs attached to a multicolored ceiling fan, eyes wide in wonder and uncertainty. "We're here," she whispered.

Jack took a calming breath and looked to James, who gazed back. "Whatever we see we must not question," he murmured.

"Only confusion will ensue if we do otherwise," the other agreed. "Amy, has your room always been this unkempt?"

"No." James looked somewhat relieved. "It's usually worse."

He winced. "Grand."

Ames moved a pile of clothes off her chair and sat down heavily in it, picking up her long-forgotten watch. She pressed a button for the date and sighed deeply, looking somewhat discouraged. "Time has definitely passed. Forty days at least." She covered her eyes with a hand. "Gee whiz...how am I gonna explain this to my parents? They'll probably kill me for giving them such a scare. Figure of speech," she added with a raise of an index finger before either had the time to look alarmed.

Jack and James exchanged knowing looks. "You leave that to us," Norrington reassured her, a hand reaching gently for her shoulder as Sparrow opened the door, and both exited. Ames jumped to her feet as it clicked shut, a hand going out to them as if to stop them. But she didn't. She let them go. But what to do whilst she waited? It was then that she did something she hadn't done in ages. ...She cleaned her room.

Gordon and Louise Xyphir were sitting quietly in their bedroom, Gordon in his recliner, Louise on the bed. The former was a somewhat fit man, and one could tell he had once been a redhead. But now, white had outnumbered the red, showing his age. He wore large trifocals that fit his 'long' face perfectly. He also sported a beard and mustache, both mixed also of the red and white. He looked intelligent and wise, hazel eyes focused intently on his wife. Louise was a shorter, slightly overweight woman, but her shape took nothing from her beauty. With her brown hair, dark eyebrows and elliptical glasses, she rather looked regal, like a woman who always knew what she had to do, and did it when it needed doing, only stopping to react once the task was complete. "The police called again today," Gordon was saying.

Louise looked up, brown eyes filled with renewed hope, as they were every time the police called through the past weeks. "And?"

"Still nothing," he replied evenly. "Like she vanished into thin air."

Louise put her face in her hands. "Gore, what are we going to do? It seems like there's no hope."

Gordon rose and put his arms comfortingly round his wife. "She's all right, honey. She's a good kid and a fighter. All we can do now is trust her judgement and pray."

"You're right," Louise smiled weakly at him. "She's fine, I know it. We've always been close; if anything happened to her, we'd probably...I don't know, sense it somehow, as a family. But I miss her."

"Of course you do. I miss her too. We can't help it. She's our daughter." He kissed the top of her head. "She'll be fine."

——————

As soon as the door latched behind them, the sound of hushed voices floated to them from down the hall. Jack nodded in its direction and began toward it. James shook his head and caught the other man by the shoulder, saying, "We don't have much time, Jack." The pirate turned around to face him, eyebrows raised in the silent question. "It won't be long before we will have to return to our own world."

"Mate, what in all that is bright blue and briny are you talking about?"

"Tethered to our world. We came here not of our own accord, and so we must return. We don't have time for you to be confused now, Jack," he 'lightly' shoved the other man toward the source of the voices. "Now let's get this done."

"Aye..." Jack nodded, and led the way cautiously toward the source of the voices.

They wandered from moss-green carpeting to that which was soft and maroon, and the narrow hallway opened out into a bedroom. In comparison to Amy's tiny twelve by twelve living chambers, this room was expansive, cavernous, its ceiling taking on the elevation and shape of the sloping roof. Eyes wandering as they rounded the corner into such a room, a couple looked up, startled catching sight of the two men. James nudged Jack, who immediately focused once again on the matters at hand. "Excuse us," he stuttered, for some unknown reason nervous, blinking his chocolate eyes. He could easily see the resemblance. Mostly with the woman, but there were other things of the man which were similar as well. They were obviously Amy's parents. Still never hurt to be sure. "...but are you the parents of Amy Xyphir?"

"Yes," replied one hesitantly. "And might you be Johnny Depp?"

Jack's brows pressed together. "Who?"

"I take that as a no."

"I've never heard of such a man."

"Then that being said," Gordon continued, tone growing hard, "who are you, and what are you doing in our house?"

"I am Commodore James Norrington, this is Jack Sparrow."

Jack sighed and rolled his eyes irritatedly, a forefinger going to massage his temple as if he had a headache. "Captain. Really, James, how many times must I tell you that for you to remember it."

"Sparrow, to be honest, I never forget," replied the other evenly, not making eye contact.

"Stop playing around. Tell us who you are or get out of our house," ordered Louise.

"We are who we say," growled Debbie.

"We came across your daughter," the Commodore replied quickly. "We brought her back with us, and were only trying to make sure we had arrived at the correct residence."

Louise's brown eyes widened, and she put a hand to her heart in startle. "You found our daughter?"

The two 'imposters' smiled and nodded synchronously. "Follow us." And they led the eager couple toward the young girl's bedroom.

But as they walked, the parents were becoming more and more skeptical. How had these men gotten into their house without being heard? Why hadn't Amy come to find them instead? Had something happened to her? Who _were_ these guys, anyway? And how had she come to know them? So many questions, and all meant nothing as Jack opened the door and bowed them inside, sweeping his hat off in a grand gesture. They stepped through the door, eyeing him oddly, before crying out for joy and surprise and momentarily freezing in place at the sight of their missing daughter. There she stood amid a room that for once lacked its usual clutter, and my how she'd changed! Her hair had grown longer and lighter, natural highlights showing through. She was a mite taller, if only slightly, and slim. Gone was the baby fat (at last!), and instead was a slender, muscular body. She wore an off-white canvas shirt, and blue drawstring trousers, hidden from the knee down by leather boots. She wore a belt round her waist, with a scabbard, and in it could be seen a cutlass. Her peachy complexion had gone a golden tan, and her glasses, so they noticed, were absent. Gone was the insecure girl who had disappeared, for now before them stood a confident young woman, fit and agile and ready for anything. "Amy!" they both cried, coming out of their momentary trances and rushing over to embrace their daughter, leaving Jack and James to look on from the doorway, forgotten.

"Mom! Dad!"

"You're back—we were so worried!"

"I missed you guys so much! Oh..." And they embraced in tears for several minutes.

Then the girl tapped her mother on the shoulder to get her attention. "What?"

"Air!" she gasped, struggling to point at her mouth.

"Oh." And the three released one another, chuckling. "Where did you go? What happened? Who are these guys? Are you all right?"

"Mom—mom, mom, hang on—," she tried to cut into the bombardment of questions. "Okay, I'll bother with the details later, here's the condensed version: I dreamed I was on the _Black Pearl_, and I woke up in the Caribbean near an island that only Jack and his crew know about. Thus, inevitably, Jack found me and kinda took me under his wing. We found this fruit on the island—I had a bite and he had the rest—and it turned him into a horse, so we were trying to find a way to change him back. So we went to Will's smithy in Port Royal, but he didn't believe us. And then Jack and I discovered that whenever we thought the same about whether or not he was human, he changed. We met Elizabeth and she believed us and got Will on our side, but we didn't stay long because Jack remembered who might have known how to get me back home. So then we met James, and it turns out his mother came from our world and preferred theirs. But he didn't know how to get me back, though he vowed to help. So while Jack and I faced off with a demon on how to get him back to normal, James found a riddle in his mother's diary, which I solved, and we found the solution in his mother's old locket. Turns out the guys are like adoptive brothers, who woulda thought, right? So Jack is in control over his horsey side, but it's not gone for good and he'll have to change now and then, but we came here, and then they found you and brought you to me, and then I told you the story I'm telling you and now I'm done." She was rambling by the end, of course, however purposefully, and careful to leave things out like the swordfights and the stake (-shudder!-), that she and James were related, and the little escapade with the cavalry, but she could tell them about such things at another time. She'd gotten out what needed saying most, leaving her mother wide-eyed and her father looking thoughtful.

"So these men brought you back?"

"Yep."

"Thank you both so much!" cried a grateful Mrs Xyphir.

Jack grinned charmingly, and James smiled shyly. "You're welcome," replied the former.

"Now, who did you say you were?"

"Commodore James Norrington," said Ellie with a bow. "And Jack Sparrow."

"CAPTAIN!" corrected Todd and Debbie in unison. Mrs Xyphir still looked skeptical.

"Mo-om, weren't you listening when I said who they were?"

"Yes, but I've told you a thousand times: you talk too fast."

Amy sighed. "I guess there are some things even a month and a half in the mid-eighteenth century Caribbean can't cure." And the two men laughed with her. Then it was James, leaning heavily on the doorframe and clutching his head. "What is it? What's wrong!"

"We're still connected with our own wo'ld, luv," replied Jack, also feeling somewhat weak. "Tied to the darkness. Soon to be completely eclipsed...wait a minute, luv, where did _that _come from?"

"So I was quoting Kingdom Hearts in my head, no big deal! So...what's gonna happen to you guys?"

"Our dear Commodore here seems to think we'll be pulled back into our respective dimension once our time here runs out."

"Then you won't be here for very long."

The pirate shook his head. "No." The two men approached her, and her parents stepped aside respectfully.

The three embraced long and tight. "You guys have done so much for me. Even when you hardly knew me." Her eyes misted over with tears. "Thank you so much for everything you both have done."

"We did it for you, Amy," murmured James softly.

"Aye," agreed Jack. "That we did. And a thanks to you for getting me back on my feet. Well...my back feet, I should say..."

"And thank you, Amy, for...your love. That's really all I can put to words, I'm afraid."

"I love you guys," she mumbled, hugging them closer. This time, Jack sank limply into the other two, who propped him up.

"Thanks," he muttered, finding his balance again.

"You don't have much time," she said softly. The other two nodded. She picked up a golden chain from around her neck, a tiny, equally golden indeterminable shape dangling from it. Jack and James did the same with similar chains around their necks. (Thank you, Will!) They fit them together, as tiny puzzle pieces, to form a single, small, golden heart, dangling there in the air, glinting in the light. "We're never alone," Amy repeated. There was a familiar aqua glow about their jigsaw heart, and it hovered in the air for a moment before the light dimmed and disappeared. Ames pulled away gently at a certain angle, dislodging the three pieces so that they fell back to the chest of that who wore each. "We'll always remain a part of each other," she quoted, putting out her hand, palm-down. "And, as long as we think of each other now and then, as long as we never forget one another, our light will never go out. We'll always be together."

"Aye," James agreed, placing his hand on top of hers.

"Aye," agreed also Jack, putting his hand on top of the Commodore's.

"All for one, one for all, eh?"

"Aye!" said all three together.

"Rave," began the youth.

"Rave," added the pirate.

"RAVE!" cried all three in unison.

"Gunna miss you guys. Think about me, k? You know I will for you." They both nodded. "I love you."

"I love you, too," James replied, cupping her face gently with one hand before stepping a few feet away from her.

And, after a moment's hesitation, Jack swept in and placed a family kiss on her forehead. "And I too, luv." And he stepped back with James, keeping a careful distance away from surrounding belongings on the otherwise clear floor so that none would be brought along with them with their return. Moments later, for both had been able to feel their world pulling them back, the two were engulfed in a bright white light (rhymie!) and soon there was no form _but_ said light. It shot off through the ceiling, through the roof.

"Quick, outside!" cried the girl, wanting to see her friends off until she could see no more. She and her parents rushed outside, looking skyward. Directly above their house and still rocketing upward was a single form of light, moving to the stars. Finally, it got to one of the stars and seemed to be absorbed into it, as if a missing part had been returned. "So it really is like Kingdom Hearts then," murmured the teenager, with her countless subjects to obsess over. "Each star is a different world." And tonight, for once, the heavens were scattered with more stars than could be identified. She looked smugly at her parents. "Believe me now?" Both nodded with raised eyebrows.

"But Amy, how are we going to explain all this to the police?"

"Oh... Not to worry, I have the perfect idea. 'I ran away, not because I was provoked but rather that I was curious as to what would happen.' I've always been a curious one, you know." Both parents nodded knowingly. They knew it from experience. "Anywho, 'I lost track of time and my heading, and kinda got lost. And sidetracked. But mostly lost. So I spent a while trying to find out where I was without asking anybody. Yeah, that worked. And none of the street names were familiar. So I tried wandering in one direction, seeing as I had _thought_ it was the way home, since I was seeing the light in that my actions were not only foolish but hurtful. However, it turns out that after a while,' and by a while, I mean several days, 'I finally found a Barnes and Nobles', and since Diane is always in the map section, I knew they sold maps and stuff...' Where _is _Diane anyway?" she asked.

"Oh, she went back to college. Remember she was only home for a short break."

"Oh yeah. But it's almost the end of June, shouldn't she be out yet?"

"She will be soon."

"Oki. Back to my excuse—er, I mean, narration. 'So anywho, I bought a map there and looked for some of the greater intersections around there, and well, it turns out that my aimless wandering had me going the completely wrong way, and I was in, would ya believe it, Maryland. So, using the map, I managed to find my way back. But I kinda lost it once I got to about Keswick—yeah, my navigation was that bad—cause is was raining.' It's wet out right now, so I'll take it that it rained recently?"

"Yup."

"Kay, so...wait, where was I? Oh yeah. 'So I know my way home from there and the rest is history.' Sound convincing?"

"Convincing enough. I think they'll believe it. I'm sure this kind of thing happens all the time."

"Oy, you know what I just realized?"

"What?"

"I missed a bunch of school," the teen groaned with a facepalm. "All that schoolwork...and finals! ...And I missed the yearbook, aw man!"

"Well, you're here now," her mother replied. "And that's all that's important. We'll take things step by step after that."

"Good plan."

"It's great to have you back, honey." The girl was pulled into another hug with her mother, which she invited her father to join.

"It's great to be back, Mom." She gazed up at the stars again. "I'm...home."

——————

Elizabeth and Will Turner stepped back as a light entered their house, and Jack and James stepped out. "So, no merciless hunting down of one another with an undying hatred, eh?" shrugged Jack, crossing his arms.

"Yes," nodded James.

Jack sighed and pretended to pout. "Oh, but that was always my favorite game!" After a few moments of glaring at each other, the two burst out laughing.

"Now that we're 'brothers', I don't think it should be so hard to keep from clawing one another's eyes out."

Jack folded his hands behind his head. "Brothers..." he repeated almost wistfully. "That'll take some getting used to."

They nodded respectfully and synchronously to the Turners and headed for the door. "Well, we've been able to play the part so far, Sparrow."

"Captain," Jack complained. "If we're going to be brothers, you're going to have to start treating me with the respect I deserve, starting with me title, mate."

"I'll start when you do," muttered James.

"And I'll start when you admit you stole my hat when we were four."

"I didn't steal it."

"You did and you know it. Look, jes' admit it already."

Will and Elizabeth looked at each other amusedly before grinning as the two men exited their house, arm round one another's shoulders, bickering just like brothers might. Things would be getting interesting, to say the least. But that is another story for another time.

_Fin_

Hope you guys enjoyed it! This has been the longest chapter in the fic, and honestly I didn't think I could write one this long! I wrote this chapter to the music during the end credits of Advent Children (Cloud Strife is MINE) and cutscenes from KHII. Good stuff. Oh, you know, I don't think you've met my latest pet. Cloud?

-Pan over to Cloud, sitting tied to a chair and gagged- Cloud: -into gag- Mmh. Mehebhehebm.

Me: Of course they won't let you go, silly! None of them likely know who you are. Nor have they seen your pwnful Advent Children leading role. Well...two of them have, but we three have already established amongst ourselves that you fall into my category...Jess gets Reno, Destiny gets Squall...oh, and Jess gets Loz's ringtone! Splee.

Cloud: Mm?

Me: Yes you can have a cookie. As soon as these guys review, that is.

Four more reviews till two hundred! OMG o.o 0.0 O.O SQUEE

Praise (please note that reviews will no longer be replied to within this story for the Epilogues, so please leave an email address if you wish for acknowledgment, praise, or just some random reply):

**Authoressinhiding:** Quit being self-hatingly modest like me! Your stories own! And you know, marching camp wasn't so bad...the marching band itself...well, let's say I'll miss having a life ;-;

**Estel Ashlee Snape:** Ha, lucky! I have no posters of Jack. ;-; Oh well, my birthday is coming up in a month or two... Lol

**Jess is a pirate:** Oki, I wasn't counting Hitler of the KKK, geeze. I was talking in general. Now then, UPDATE ASAP. o.o I miss KHIAN.

**Destinysway114:** It's from Spirit. I know you know that. Whatever. Cute...Little...Girl! What the heck! -fumes- I hate it when people say that. Guys have been unable to walk from being kicked too much when they try to annoy me with that—and it's in the shins, I know what you were thinking! Oy. Lol XD

**pirateobsessed: **OMG! I can't believe that happened! It's a pet peeve of mine, too, you mark my words, but how could I have missed this? OY ...Oh and, eh, thanks for not hurting me. -sweatdrop-

**Stormwake:** Glad you liked it. But alas, my dear, all good things must come to an end. ...How else, then, would sequels to such good things be made, eh? xD

**Molly: **Last chapter, or at least before the Epilogue(s), so keep reading, eh.

**marauder4ever: **That was the point, mate. As I recall saying at one point, this is in fact a Spirit crossover. ...Or at least as close as I could come to one... Here's the long-awaited next chapter!

**TheDreamChild:** All right, so he's not your pet...probably a good thing...he'd be so well-trained it would be kinda creepy. o.e But that aside, glad you liked the Spirit bit.

**Little Miss Sparrow:** It comes out December fifth, but that is subject to change, my dear. Love that you saw it in slow motion—that had been my intent, though I was fool enough not to weave it into my description...oh well, at least you got the picture I was trying to create. Rum to you!

**Cael the Rider:** Yayy, new reader! Weehoo! -runs in circles- Dunno whether you're up to this part just yet, but who cares if I'm talking to thin air at the moment, eh? We does it all the time, we does... -cackle- Ehem...right, yes. RAVE! xP

**Kei-Ookami.kara.mori:** I'm flattered by your compliments. Here is thy update!

**ArmoredSoul:** SASSAFRASS! Thanks for the lovely reviews, love, they've been nothing short of inspiring! d'-'b

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Well, this is the last chapter of the story. ...Not including the Epilogue I have in mind, of course. Possibly two, but I've a new idea that makes even two suddenly improbable... So PLEASE review whilst thou still can! o-o It'll be hard enough to say goodbye to this story, but to say goodbye knowing I'm the only one who is? Torture. So please review! I beggeth!

Oh well, time to introduce Cloud to the rum! xD Be back with an Epilogue hog-tied in a potato sack later! Bye for now!

"Crocs rule." R.I.P


	23. The REAL End

I love you all so much! Without your support, none of this would have been possible!

If it makes things any easier, for those of you that _have_ seen Advent Children, imagine the light, the glow that signifies Hannah's being as the same as from the Lifestream, savvy?

Now, I have always seen stories and books as movies you play in your head. So what better way to end a story as such than like a movie...eh? (a/n sorry if it's all messed up. it looked all cool on my word doc. but ffnet messed it all up:( )

To the music: Cloud's Theme (Full Orchestra)

Linkie: http(colon slash slash)www(dot)youtube(dot)com(slash)watch(question mark)v(equals)oIIvI(underscore)cskoo

**End Credits**:

Captain MeraSparrow

Amy Xyphir

Captain Jack Sparrow

Commodore James Norrington

-Credits Cut-

Camera shows Amy walking down a hall in the blue sarong she commandeered, and a white tank top. She comes to a closed door. On the other side, several girls are sitting about a bed, looking sad. They have gathered to mourn their missing friend together, and try to think up logical scenarios that might have happened to her. Ames opens the door slowly and leans casually in the frame. "So, who's still coming to the pirate party?" she asks cheerfully after a few moments of silence. The other girls look up and recognize her. Moments later, the girls are piling on her, smothering her with hugs and smiles and tears of joy. And she just sits there, hugging them all back, loving them like sisters, this small, watery smile on her face.

**-**Credits Resume-

——**Cast——**

Amy Xyphir

Captain Jack Sparrow

Commodore James Norrington

the _Black Pearl_

Hannah Norrington

Will Turner

Elizabeth Turner

...Jack's Hat

**Navy:**

George Stein

Captain Gillette

Governor Weatherby Swann

Lieutenant Theodore Groves

Murtogg

Mullroy

**Officers:** Larry Petri

Connor Mend

Rufus Shin

**Soldiers:** Grant McCarthur

Otto Grennon

Paras Limon

Elliot Providence

Kent Greeb

Samuel Aeon

Leo Menta

Felix Clement

Nino Edwardo

**Lieutenant **Arthur Pence

**HorseMarines** John Waters

Tom Mathews

David Philmire

Charlie Tonic

Wallace T. Fifth III

**Gillette's Horse **Rocky

**Cavalry Horses **Oregano

"Captain" Flint

Rina

Eastwood

Morgan

-Credits cut-

Amy stands in front of her mirror, running a brush through her mane. She reaches for something amid a pile of scrunchies, then pulls them all out of the pile as if searching for a specific one. She stops when the pile runs out, looking confused, hands on hips. 'Where is it?' we can see her mouth form silently.

Pan to Jack in Tortuga, examining a stretchy red band; a favorite scrunchie of a good friend.

-Credits resume-

**Jack's Crew:**

Joshamee Gibbs

Cotton

Cotton's Parrot

Anamaria

Pintel

Ragetti

Marty

Crimp

Duncan Insipid

Giraffe

Sherry

Whiskey

Rune

Andie Norton

Oatmeal

Wester

Count Fence

Cling

Mr Jacobs

**Others:**

John Welsh

Louise Xyphir

Gordon Xyphir

**Demon** Blaze Thomas

-Credits cut-

We can see Rumsweet Island as a whole as the camera soars over its expanse. It zooms in on a large beach on the leeward side, a scruffy dull-chestnut stallion is trying to free itself from an old, worn, torn blue coat. Upon achieving this, it catches sight of a large hat, with an equally large magenta plume. If steps closer, ears pricked, and sniffs said plume, before sneezing. It seems to think a moment, then proceeds to eat said hat. Leaning against a tree in the distance, the demon looks on, laughing mirthfully. Finally, his promise to his brother has been fulfilled.

-Credits resume-

Dr. MrGrennin

The Cabbage Man

**Stable Hand **Gregg Pake

**Lady at the Shop** Ms. Eleanor Matron

**Johnson** George Adicceran

**Townsfolk** Fjord Tisan

June Idaho

Courder Main

Jerry Lamont

Kerrigan Blanc

Alicia Moire

Vanessa Jay

Raoul Pauls

Will Sidi

Rick Day

Suni Jin

Ming Chen

David Jennings

Ken Ross

Dorian Umbra

Shane Hund

Oliver Putz

Jenna McClay

Kyle Manasi

Clayton Chinc

Charisma Magnolia

Nathan Victorine

Val Monoto

Chi Ka

Nen Seng

Sam Ayam

Juniper Tim

Denzel San

-Credits cut-

The camera shows James on the deck of his ship, sky gray, rain pouring down upon them. "A quick victory, sir," a Lieutenant says to him. "What now?"

The Commodore's face splits into a wide grin, and for many, this is the first real smile they've ever seen out of him, and he utters cheerfully a single word. "Rave!" Pan to the nearby crewmen, exchanging confused and what-in-the-heck expressions.

-Credits resume-

**Turner Housemaid** Alicia Engrade

**Turner Housemaid **Olivia Pensive

**Turner Housemaid **Sophie Llamos

**Turner Gardener **Shelly Alenti

**Turner Gardener **Jacob Werner

**Dolphins **Charlie

Ammm

Eeeee

Jamie

Kunga

Ie-Eee

Newt

**Friendly Monkey** Gem the Macaque

**Norrington's Office Chair** Chairbob

**Passing People **John Poelle

Chen Ne

Lon Arbuta

Erik Patterson

Dillon Brad

Ellion Aeris

Tifa Lockheart

Lolita Alicana

Cho Sun

James Kapelle

Howard Paul

Jim Ketner

Sei Kim

Nina Regine

Colin Deisen

Nandi Hessar

Min Cha

Ashlee Parsons

Jack Mink

Richard Cricket

Kayla Jones

-Credits cut-

We can see Amy, at the theatre with several of the friends seen earlier at their reunion. They're all dressed as pirates, herself included, though not in the gear she obtained on her journey, for she, in all her -honesty- would have to explain -truthfully- to her friends where she got it. So she settled for her homemade Jack costume, though lacking the bewigged hat and fake facial hair. The camera moves to an angle from which we can see she and the girls watching the screen, and on said screen, we can see the gargantuan tentacles of the mighty kraken swallowing the _Pearl_, can see her courageous Captain slow-motion amid a valiant swing with the cutlass as the kraken's mouth bears down over him, smiling as he meets his doom. Amy winces, and mutters, "Jeez, Jack, a little warning never hurt."

And from somewhere far away, a voice answers her. _There are some memories I'd much rather not remember, luv._ Their connection is still strong.

-Credits resume-

**Centaurs **Jake Mellau

Antonio Lonti

Sheila Enterne

**Werewolves** Johnny Witham

Claire Ebony

Shane Clubway

Squall Leonhart

**Merpeople** Ella Tru

Marlene Tseng

Rude Clyde

**Lorolays **Paula Sheen

Rita Sloan

**Forest Nymphs **Lola Bennet

Chica Rodriguez

**Pixie **Vincent Valentine

**Faeries** Ilsa Amori

Gina Terian

**Sprite **Reno Sama

**Directed by:**

Captain MeraSparrow

**Written by:**

Captain MeraSparrow

**Screen story by** Captain MeraSparrow

Captain Todd

with additional help from

Mr Captain Jack Sparrow

**Producer:** Fanfiction . net

**Production Organizations**:

**Executive Producers** Blaze Thomas Exec.

Imagine and Dream inc.

Neverland and Friends

Strife Delivery Service

**Associate Producers** Thoughts Alive co.

M.A.N.G.O. Dreams Reality Street

-Credits cut-

We see Amy and her best friend, Jess sitting in front of a laptop, watching 'The Village of DDR' on youtube. The camera switches to the two sitting in front of a television, playing Kingdom Hearts. Pan to Jess setting up her DDR pad, and both are dancing like crazed maniacs. And enjoying every moment of it.

-Credits resume-

**Music:**

Klaus Badelt

Hans Zimmer

Tsuyoshi Sekito

Takeharu Ishimoto

**Editing by:**

Captain Todd

Captain MeraSparrow

**Casting by:**

Captain MeraSparrow

**Production design:**

Captain MeraSparrow

**Art Direction:**

Amy

Todd

**Set Design:**

The People at PotC

Captain MeraSparrow

**Set Decoration:**

Larry Dias

Me

**Costume Designers:**

Penny Rose

John Bright

Liz Dann

Me!

**Production Management:**

**Production Supervisor **Cloud Strife

**Unit Production Manager **Captain MeraSparrow

**Assistant director:**

Captain Jack Sparrow

**Props:**

Will Turner II

**Special Effects by:**

Captain MeraSparrow

**Supervisor** Captain Jack Sparrow

**Visual Effects:**

Captain MeraSparrow

Captain Todd

Me

Myself

I

Moi

-Credits cut-

Amy sits out on her front lawn one night. We see tall pines rising high all around her from neighboring yards, towering above the houses. She had been writing in a journal, but now she lays back in the soft grass, hands folded behind her head. Chocolate eyes gaze up in almost wonder at the stars. Not many can be seen tonight, as usual, but there is one that's always there, shining brightly with a hint of an aqua hue; right above her house. She blinks, eyes narrowing, and focuses more closely on that special star. It seems almost...closer.

Back in their own world, Jack notes an aqua-glowing star high in the sky. It shines directly above the shallows of Rumsweet, but it can be seen from all over the Caribbean. The Captain looks out to the horizon, as he often does, deep in thought, before looking back at that celestial point.

In Port Royal, the Commodore steps out of his cabin and gazes up at the clear night sky. He blinks, noticing that same star, with that familiar radiance. It twinkles, winks at him playfully. A ghost of a smile washes across his face before he gazes out over the horizon. What lies beyond? What lies in store? He shrugs with a soft "Hmmh..." and drops his gaze to the ebony waves shining silver in the moonlight.

-Credits resume-

–**Special Thanks–**

Jess is a pirate,

pirateobsessed,

Authoressinhiding,

crunchycheezit,

ArmoredSoul,

alissaduke88,

Stormwake,

RespectTheSporks,

CrazyforWill,

Little Miss Sparrow,

marauder4ever,

luvvcaptainjack,

obbits14,

TheDreamChild,

animebishiluver,

Mrs Capt Jack Sparrows,

diyerrin,

NEON.lights,

I'm-in-luv-wit-CJS,

scarlet-rebELLE,

Kei-Ookami.kara.mori,

dangerous addiction,

Destinysway114,

SamanthaSparrow,

Kal,

Estel Ashlee Snape,

Molly,

Skittle Trees Exist,

wayunlucky13,

Cael the Rider,

Noyesgirl,

passionatepirate,

Steel Plated Bambi,

Psalm 136,

CrystalShifter

Thank you all so much!

–**Inspiration and Material from–**

Pirates of the Caribbean  
Spirit; Stallion of the Cimarron  
Suite Life of Zack and Cody

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children  
Kingdom Hearts I&II  
Finding Neverland

Avatar  
Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie  
Winnie the Pooh

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)  
Shakespeare  
The Neverending Story

Hey Arnold!  
Fairly Oddparents  
Spongebob Squarepants  
Angry Beavers  
Catscratch

JAC Productions  
YouTube . Net

All my faithful reviewers!

–**Sponsors**–

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Obsessive HelpLine

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All My Lovely Reviewers

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DEEEEMONZZ!

-Closing-

Back in Port Royal, many sunrises and sunsets later, we see several soldiers forcing a man forward. The camera zooms in and we see it is Jack. He is brought before Commodore Norrington, who looks at him sternly. The soldiers look at one another smugly, prematurely congratulating one another on a job well done and for pleasing their Commodore. But, quite contrarily, as they are brought face to face, James breaks into a friendly grin, and the pirate quits his struggles, standing straight and returning the smile. Norrington undoes the other man's shackles, and they embrace, leaving the soldiers standing dumbfounded. "How have you been, brother?" asks the Navy commander.

"Never been better, brother, never better."

"Come for a visit, eh?"

"Aye."

"How long?" The soldiers look at one another, confused.

The pirate shrugs. "A few days. Long enough to visit with everyone, Turners included, eh?"

"Should be." He nods. "Well, I guess you should be on your way, hmm?"

Jack nods. "Aye. Good to see you again, brother."

"And you too." He steps aside for the other man to pass, and lets him go without hesitation.

"Sir, you can't do that!"

"Hmm?"

"Letting a wanted hangman go free is a death wish."

"Maybe to you."

Groves steps forward and pulls him aside. "James," he whispers ruefully. "...You've changed."

"Is that really such a bad thing?"

"In the Navy, yes."

"Then I fear the Navy will not last very long in this world, for what this world even _is_ is change." He made to leave, but his friend caught him by the shoulder.

"You know I can't let you go."

James merely blinked, turning back to his friend. "You'll see me hang then?"

"No. But I'll see that others have. I'll see that everyone who needs to has seen my worst nightmare come to life; the hanging, the death, of my dearest friend, please, James! Catch Sparrow and we won't have to deal with this. I couldn't bear to have you hanged!"

James embraces the man. "I truly trust myself more in that one instance than I ever have in my life." They release one another. He smiles gently. "You'll see me again." And, with a casual salute, he flees, blue naval coat streaming out behind him.

"After him!" he hears a soldier cry as he rounds the corner of a building. Halfway through town, he finds a half-collapsed barn and dives inside, panting for breath. He shuts his eyes tight, wishing to be literally elsewhere. There's a flash and he opens his eyes a crack to glimpse a familiar aqua glow in the ebony shadows made by the collapsed roof. He smiles and goes toward it.

"He went in there!" a soldier points at an old, decrepit barn.

"See to it that he is captured alive," says Groves, voice cracking. "He'll need to be in order for a...for a hanging," he chokes.

The soldier nods and head in with several others. But moments later, they return, empty-handed. "He's gone..."

THE END ...?

...Grr, ffnet really messed it up. Anywho, I'll miss you all and I hope to see you during my sequels! The first chapter should be up by the one-year anniversary for Hoofin' It With Pirates. Or so I hope. xD You guyses rock. Don't forget to review just this one last time. ;-;


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